GIFT  OF 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE 

A  COMPENDIUM  OF  ITS  RULES 


SPILED     FROM     THE     LATEST     AND     HIGHEST 

\UTHORITIES,    FOR    THE    USE    OF    STUDENTS 

AND   FOR   THE   GUIDANCE   OF    OFFICERS 

AND  MEMBERS  OF  CLUBS,,  SOCIETIES, 

BOARDS,  COMMITTEES,  AND  ALL 

DELIBERATIVE   BODIES 


BY 

ADELE  M.   FIELDS 
X 


PUBLISHED   BY 

HELEN  N.  STEVENS 
SEATTLE,  WASHINGTON 


ALL    RIGHTS 


err5 


Copyrighted  and  published  by  the  Author,  1899,  in 
the  city  of  New  York;  Press  of  the  Edgar  Printing 
and  Stationery  Co.  Published  again,  under  the 
supervision  of  the  author,  in  1914,  Metropolitan 
Press,  in  Seattle,  Washington. 


This   Book   Is   Inscribed 
To  Those  Who  Study  It. 

GIFT 
JAN  25  1916 


324659 


PREFACE  AND  INTRODUCTION. 

Parliamentary  Law  sets  forth  the  proper 
mode  of  Procedure  in  deliberative  bodies.  Its 
object  is  to  expedite  business,  obviate  friction, 
secure  justice,  maintain  equality,  and  preserve 
dignity. 

Its  rules  have  been  made  at  no  one  time,  nor 
by  any  one  nation,  but  have  been  gradually 
formulated,  and  are  still  in  process  of  evolu- 
tion. Some  of  them  are  probably  centuries  old, 
while  others  are  barely  established  by  consensus 
of  recent  opinion.  The  British  Parliament  had 
so  much  to  do  in  their  making,  that  its  name 
adheres  to  them  in  all  countries  where  English 
is  spoken ;  but  in  America  these  rules  have  been 
adapted  to  another  form  of  government,  and 
are  not  identical  with  those  followed  in  Eng- 
land. Even  within  the  United  States  the  rules 
vary,  not  only  in  the  different  States  but  often 
in  legislative  bodies  of  the  same  State.  Yet  their 
fundamental  principles  are  always  the  same, 
and  they  are  applicable  in  all  situations. 

Each  organization  has  an  indisputable  right 
to  create  rules  governing  its  own  proceedings, 
but  unless  it  does  so  by  majority  vote,  it  exists 
under  the  laws  generally  accepted  as  Parlia- 


6  PREFACE  AND  INTRODUCTION. 

mentary.  These  laws  are  finally  determined  by 
common  sense,  instructed  by  large  and  long 
experience. 

It  is  said  that  the  difference  between  a  wise 
man  and  a  fool,  is  merely  that  the  one  learns  by 
experience  while  the  other  does  not.  To  follow 
Parliamentary  Usages  is  to  profit  by  the  ex- 
periences of  others,  thus  avoiding  the  trouble 
inherent  in  personal  experiences. 

Among  a  people  so  addicted  as  are  Americans 
to  traveling  in  every  part  of  their  common- 
wealth, and  so  apt  to  form  inter- State  associa- 
tions, the  rules  learned  for  guidance  in  the 
transaction  of  business  should  be  those  having 
national,  and  not  merely  local,  acceptance. 
Fortunately,  we  have  a  manual  prepared  by 
Thomas  B.  Eeed  whose  long  occupation  of  the 
Chair  of  the  Speaker  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives makes  him  a  high  authority  in  Par- 
liamentary Law.  His  profound  knowledge  of 
its  principles  is  eve^where  admitted,  and  his 
new  rulings,  after  discussion  throughout  the 
country,  have  been  generally  upheld. 

In  the  preparation  of  these  lessons  Reed's 
Rules  have,  in  most  points,  been  accepted  as 
ultimate  authority;  but  Gushing,  Roberts  and 
others  have  been  carefully  compared  and  often 
drawn  upon.  To  know  all  these  authors  is  a 
liberal  education  to  the  Parliamentarian.  To 
the  present  writer  it  has  nevertheless  seemed 


PREFACE  AND   INTRODUCTION.  7 

necessary  to  make  to  make  a  new  text-book,  be- 
cause she  has  found  none  sufficiently  elemen- 
tary, and  at  the  same  time  sufficiently  compre- 
hensive, to  meet  the  requirements  of  students. 
To  Learning  there  should  be  a  royal  road,  and 
any  one  who  can,  may  well  lay  further  paving 
stones.  A.  M.  F. 

.NEW  YORK,  March,  1899. 
SEATTLE,  April.  1914. 


Explanation   of    Signs   used   in 
the  Tables. 


I,  means  that  the  question  may  Interrupt  a 
speaker  to  whom  the  floor  has  been  given  by 
the  presiding  officer. 

F,  that  the  introducer  of  the  question  must  get 
the  Floor. 

S.  that  a  Seconder  is  required. 

D,  that  the  question  is  Debatable. 

A,  that  the  question  is  Amendable. 

%,  that  a  two-thirds  vote  is  required. 

R,  that  the  vote  upon  it  can  be  Reconsidered. 

An  interrogation  point  following  a  letter  indicates 
that  the  case  depends  on  certain  conditions, 
which  can  be  learned  in  the  text. 

The  absence  of  any  letter  denotes  that  what  it 
stands  for  is  inapplicable  to  the  preceding 
question. 

The  figure  on  the  left  denotes  the  rank  of  the 
question,  among  its  kind.  A  question  can 
precede  one  of  lower  rank  than  itself;  but  is 
out  of  order  if  one  of  the  same  rank  or*  of 
higher  rank  than  itself  is  pending. 

A  question  is  pending  from  the  time  it  is  stated 
by  the  Chair  until  it  is  voted  upon. 


Classification  of  Motions 


The  Main  Question,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R, 

SUBSIDIARY   MOTIONS. 
1 — Question  of  consideration,  I.  %.  R. 
2— To  lay  on  the  table,  F.  S.  R— ?. 

(The  Previous  Question,  F.  S.  %.  R. 
o )  To  postpone  to  a  certain  day,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

\  To  commit,  recommit  or  refer,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

(To  postpone  indefinitely,  F.  S.  D.  R. 
4— To  amend,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R. 


PRIVILEGED  QUESTIONS. 
PRIVILEGED  MOTIONS. 

1-— To  fix  a  time  to  which  to  adjourn,  S.  A.  R. 

2 — To  adjourn,  S. 

3 — To  take  the  recess,  S. 
QUESTIONS  OF  PRIVILEGE. 

4 — Concerning  the  assembly,  I. — (F.  S.  D.  A.  R.) 

5 — Concerning  a  member,  I. — (F.  S.  D.  A.  R.) 


INCIDENTAL   QUESTIONS. 
1 — Questions  of  order,  I.  R. 
Reading  of  papers,  F.  S.  R. 
Withdrawal  of  motion,  F.  S.  R. 
Suspension  of  rules,  F.  S.  %. 
Division  of  question,  F.  S.  A.  R. 
Method  of  consideration,  F.  S.  A.  R. 


Appeal  from  the  Ruling  of  Chair,  S.  D— ?  R. 

TO  RECONSIDER,  I.   S.  D-?.  TO  RESCIND,  F.   S.   D.   A.   B. 


10 


Reference  Table  for  Application  of 
Subsidiary  Motions 

All  Subsidiary  Motions  apply  to  the  Main  Ques- 
tion, and  all  except  the  Question  of  Consideration 
apply  to  Questions  of  Privilege  after  they  have 
been  admitted  as  Privileged. 

1 — Question  of  consideration;  applies  to  main 
question  only. 

2 — Lay  on  the  table;  applies  to  the  main  ques- 
tion, to  questions  of  privilege,  to  an  appeal, 
to  an  amendment  of  the  minutes,  and  to  the 
motion  to  reconsider. 

3 — The  Previous  Question;  applies  to  all  de- 
batable motions.  When  specifically  applied 
to  other  Subsidiary  motions,  to  an  appeal,  or 
to  a  motion  to  reconsider,  it  does  not  close 
debate  on  the  main  question. 

4 — Postpone  to  a  certain  time;  applies  to  the 
main  question  and  to  questions  of  privilege. 

5 — Commit;  applies  to  the  main  question  and  to 
questions  of  privilege. 

6 — Postpone  indefinitely;  applies  to  the  main 
question  and  to  questions  of  privilege. 

7 — Amend;  applies  to  the  main  question,  to 
questions  of  privilege,  to  motions  to  post- 
pone to  a  certain  time,  to  commit,  to  amend, 
to  fix  the  time  to  which  to  adjourn,  to  mo- 
tion for  the  division  of  a  question,  and  to 
motions  as  to  method  of  consideration. 

REOOK  SIDER  ATIOX. 

The  motion  to  Reconsider  applies  to  the  vote  on  all  ques- 
tions, except  to  adjourn,  to  take  the  recess,  to  suspend  the 
rules,  to  reconsider,  to  an  affirmative  vote  to  lay  on  or  take 
from  the  table,  and  to  votes  taken  by  ballot,  or  for  elections. 
But  no  vote  can  be  reconsidered  later  than  the  day  on  which 
it  was  taken,  nor  can  it  be  reconsidered  if  it  has  been  fol- 
lowed by  any  action  consequent  upon  the  vote. 


11 


Reference  Table  for  Rank  of  Motions 

1 — To  fix  the  time  to  which  to  adjourn,  the  time 
for  the  next  meeting  not  having  been  fixed, 
and  if  no  motion  for  recess  is  pending;  may 
be  made  even  after  the  vote  has  been  taken 
on  the  motion  to  adjourn'  and  before  it  is 
announced  by  the  Chair. 

2 — To  Adjourn,  if  the  motion  be  unqualified;  but 
it  is  not  in  order  when  a  motion  to  close  de- 
bate, or  to  take  a  recess  is  pending,  nor  when 
the  quesMon  of  consideration  is  pending. 

3 — To  Reconsider,  made  for  record;  may  be 
made  even  after  the  vote  on  the  motion  to 
adjourn  has  been  taken  and  before  the  vote 
thereupon  is  announced. 

4 — To  take  a  recess,  the  time  for  which  has  been 
fixed. 

5 — Questions  of  Privilege  concerning  the  assem- 
bly. 

6~- Questions  of  Privilege  concerning  a  mem- 
ber. 

7 — Questions  of  order,  including  orders  of  the 
day. 

8 — Other  incidental  questions. 

9 — Question   of   Consideration;    if   this   question 
be  seasonably  raised,  it  cannot  be  superseded 
by  any   other,   except  a   point   of  order.     It 
dees  not  yield  to  orders  of  the  day. 
10 — To  lay  on  the  table. 

{The  Previous  Question. 
To  postpone  to  a  certain  time. 
To  commit,   recommit  or  refer. 
To  postpone  indefinitely. 
12 — To  amend. 
Lastly,  the  main  question. 


Parliamentary  Procedure. 


THE    PRINCIPAL    MOTION    OE    MAIN 
QUESTION. 


Any  proposition  brought  before  an  assem- 
bly for  its  consideration  is  called  a  motion  or  a 
question.  Any  question  introduced  when  no 
other  is  before  the  assembly  is  the  principal 
motion  or  main  question.  It  may  be  a  bill, 
a  p.  \tion,  a  resolution,  the  report  of  a  com- 
mittee, or  a  paper  sent  from  another  convo- 
cation or  branch  of  the  government. 

There  can  be  but  one  main  question  at  a 
time,  and  it  must  remain  before  the  assembly 
until  it  is  disposed  of  by  a  vote. 

How  It  Is  Introduced. 

It  may  be  introduced  by  any  member,  and,  if 
lengthy  or  important,  should  be  written.  The 
reasons  for  writing  it  are  three.  The  intro- 
ducer will  probably  make  it  more  concise  when 
writing  it,  the  Chair  will  be  able  to  state  it 


14  '    ?ARMAltosTTARY   PROCEDURE. 


precisely  as '  tlie "  introducer  dictated,  and  the 
Becording  Secretary  can  enter  it  correctly  in 
the  minutes.  The  Chair  may  refuse  to  state 
a  main  question  that  is  not  in  writing. 

With  the  written  motion  in  his  hand  the 
mover  rises  in  his  place  in  the  assembly,  and 
addresses  the  Ohair.  The  presiding  officer  is 
always  referred  to  as  "the  Chair,"  and  never 
by  a  personal  name.  In  religious  conventions 
the  Chair  is  generally  addressed  as  Mr.  Mod- 
erator, in  many  secular  societies  as  Mr.  Pres- 
ident, in  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  as  Mr. 
Speaker,  in  women's  associations  as  Madam 
Chairman  or  Madam  President. 

The  term  Madam  should  be  used  instead 
of  Mrs.  or  Miss,  and  is  applicable  to  any  lady. 
The  term  Chairman  is  applied  to  the  office 
held,  and  is  suitably  applied  to  persons  of 
either  sex.  A  Chairman  usually  presides  over 
a  temporary  organization  or  a  committee,  while 
a  President  is  elected  to  a  permanent  office. 

Having  risen  in  his  place  and  addressed  the 
Chair  the  mover  awaits  recognition  by  the 
Chair.  He  obtains  the  floor  by  Having  his  name 
pronounced  by  the  Chair.  If  the  Chair  does 
not  know  the  name  of  the  speaker  the  latter 
should  announce  it,  so  that  it  may  be  repeated 
by  the  Chair.  The  speaker  must  not  proceed 
uutil  he  has  been  given  the  floor.  There  may 
__lie  many  claiming  the  floor  simultaneously, 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  15 

and  it  is  for  the  Chair  alone  to  decide  who  shall 
occupy  the  time  of  the  assembly,  and  to  select 
appropriate  speakers.  The  name  of  the  one 
to  whom  the  floor  is  given  should  be  pro- 
nounced distinctly  and  loudly  in  order  to  grati- 
fy the  legitimate  curiosity  of  the  hearers  in  re- 
gard to  the  personality  of  one  to  whom  they 
listen,  and  also  because  questions  have  greater 
or  less  weight  with  the  assembly  in  accordance 
with  the  amount  of  knowledge  of  the  subject 
thought  to  be  possessed  by  the  introducer  of 
the  measure. 

When  he  has  been  given  the  floor  the  mover 
reads  the  motion  and  then  sits  down.  A  copy 
of  the  motion  may  have  been  previously  laid 
upon  the  clerk's  desk,  or  the  mover  may  pass 
his  written  motion  up  to  the  Chair. 

If  the  mover  be  a  careful  person  he  has 
engaged  a  seconder  before  reading  his  motion. 
Unless  there  be  at  least  two  members  who  are 
in  favor  of  the  motion  it  is  not  worth  while 
for  the  assembly  to  consider  it,  and  the  Chair 
should  not  state  it. 

It  is  best  for  every  assembly  not  legisla,- 
tive  to  adhere  strictly  to  the  rule  that  all 
principal  motions  shall  be  seconded.  One  rea- 
son for  this  rule  is  that  a  rider  of  hobbies  is 
thereby  prevented  from  inopportunely  intro- 
ducing motions;  and  another  reason  is  that  it 
preserves  a  sensible  member  who  chances  to 


16  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

make  an  absurd  motion  from  having  his  motion 
put  before  the  assembly  by  the  Chair.  "Even 
a  god  sometimes  misunderstands,"  but  two  gods 
do  not  often  misunderstand  at  the  same  mo- 
ment. The  rule  that  motions  shall  be  second- 
ed before  being  stated  by  the  Chair  is  a  pro- 
tection to  the  assembly  and  to  its  individual 
members. 

By  special  rule  in  the  House  of  Eepresen- 
tatives  motions  are  not  there  seconded. 

If  the  Chair  considers  the  motion  one  that 
ought  to  come  before  the  assembly,  and  that 
failure  to  second  it  is  through  an  oversight,  ho 
may  say  "Is  the  motion  seconded?"  If  no  sec- 
onder appears  other  business  is  at  once  taken 
up.  If  the  motion  is  seconded  the  seconder 
must  rise  in  his  place,  so  that  the  eye  may 
assist  the  ear  of  the  Chair  and  of  the  members 
in  ascertaining  that  the  motion  is  seconded. 
It  is  disrespectful  to  an  assembly  and  to  its 
presiding  officer  to  make  any  remark  without 
rising.  The  seconder  need  not  get  the  floor, 
but  should  address  the  Chair,  saying,  ffl  sec- 
ond  the'''  motion,  resolution,  amendment,  nomi- 
nation or  request,  as  the  case  may  be. 

After  the  motion  is  seconded  the  Chair  states 
it — that  is,  he  rises  and  reads  it  from  the  pa- 
per that  has  been  handed  to  him.  The  Chair 
is  obliged  to  state  every  motion  properly  in- 
troduced. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       1? 

The  Chair  may  sit,  except  when  addressing 
the  assembly  as  a  whole;  and  he  addresses  the 
assembly  as  a  whole  whenever  he  states  a  ques- 
tion, whenever  he  puts  a  question  to  vote,  and 
when  he  gives  notices  or  makes  announcements. 

Up  to  the  time  of  statement  by  the  Chair 
the  motion  belongs  to  its  introducer,,  and  he 
has  the  right  to  alter  it  of  his  own  will  alone, 
or  upon  the  suggestion  of  the  presiding  officer 
or  of  another  member.  He  may  alter  it  with- 
out reference  to  his  seconder;  but  after  altera- 
tion it  must  be  again  seconded.  After  the 
Chair  states  it,  it  becomes  the  property  of  the 
assembly  and  the  introducer  has  no  more  pow- 
er than  has  any  other  member  to  amend,  to 
change  or  to  dispose  of  it.  It  becomes  subject 
to  the  vote  of  the  assembly.  But  before  being 
voted  upon  it  is  to  be  discussed,  and  the  Chair 
says,  "Are  there  any  remarks?'  or,  "The  ques- 
tion is  open  to  debate/'  or,  "What  is  the  pleas- 
ure of  the  assembly  concerning  this  measure?" 
His  purpose  is  to  have  arguments  for  and 
against  the  measure  so  presented  as  to  make 
the  vote  upon  it  an  intelligent  one. 

DEBATE. 

In  debate  the  introducer  of  the  question  is, 
if  he  desires  to  speak,  usually  first  given  the 
floor,  because  he  is  supposed  to  be  best  able  to 


18       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

explain  the  motion  and  to  set  forth  supporting 
reasons;  but  he  cannot  claim  the  floor  as  a 
right.  If  the  Chair  has  a  clue  to  the  position 
of  the  debaters  he  should  give  the  floor  alter- 
nately to  advocates  and  to  objectors,  so  that 
the  light  may  be  thrown  on  all  sides  of  the 
subject. 

Each  debater  must  address  the  Chair,  get 
the  floor,  speak  to  the  point,  keep  within  the 
time  limit,  and  refrain  from  personalities.  No 
member  may  speak  more  than  once  on  any 
question  if  there  be  others  who  desire  to  speak, 
with  the  exception  that  the  mover  has  always 
the  right  to  speak  last  in  the  debate.  A  ques- 
tion may,  however,  be  addressed  through  the 
Chair  and  necessary  information  be  obtained 
from  another  member  without  it  being  re- 
garded as  a  speech  made  in  debate. 

Though  a  member  can  speak  but  once  on  a 
question  at  the  same  stage,  a  member  who  has 
spoken  on  a  main  question  has  the  right  to 
speak  again  on  each  amendment,  and  again  on 
every  amendment  to  an  amendment.  If  de- 
bate is  allowed,  the  thing  next  to  be  voted 
upon  is  the  only  debatable  topic,  and  the  state- 
ment of  any  undebatable  motion  shuts  off  all 
debate  until  that  motion  has  been  voted  upon. 

If  members  are  alluded  to  it  must  not  be 
by  name,  but  by  some  descriptive  device,  as 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       19 

"the  last  speaker,"  "the  member  from  Ari- 
zona," "my  honorable  colleague/  etc. 

The  debate  should  not  be  a  dispute,  but  an 
appeal  to  reason.  No  harsh  expressions  may 
be  used  about  other  members,  whether  absent 
or  present,  nor  may  motives  be  imputed. 

Those  not  having  the  floor  must  be  silent, 
and  must  refrain  from  everything  that  indi- 
cates disrespect  or  distracts  attention. 

THE  DISPOSITION  OF  THE  MOTION  OR 
RESOLUTION  CAN  BE  DECIDED  IN 
NO  OTHER  WAY  THAN  BY  A  VOTE. 

A  majority  vote  is  more  than  one-half  the 
number  of  votes  cast. 

A  plurality  vote  is  the  highest  number  cast, 
and  may  be  less  than  half  the  total. 

A  tie  vote  is  an  equal  number  on  each  side. 

A  two-thirds  vote  is  not  less  than  two-thirds, 
and  a  three-fourths  vote  is  not  less  than  three- 
fourths  of  the  total  number  of  votes  cast. 

In  a  unanimous  vote,  all  vote  alike.  By 
a  unanimous  vote  of  all  the  members,  an  as- 
sembly can  do  anything  that  it  is  competent 
to  do,  even  in  contravention  of  its  own  rules 
or  the  rules  of  Parliamentary  Procedure.  To 
assert  otherwise  is  to  deny  to  the  assembly 
the  power  of  self-government. 


20  PARLIAMENTARY    PROCEDURE. 


THERE  ARE  SIX  ESTABLISHED  METH- 
ODS OF  VOTINO. 

1.  By  General  Consent.     The  Chair  may, 
on  routine  questions,  expedite  business  by  as- 
suming the  consent  of  the  assembly.,  providing 
no  one  objects.    For  instance,  he  may  say,  "If 
there  be  no  objection,  the  minutes  as  corrected 
stand  approved"  ;  or,  "If  there  be  no  objection, 
the  motion  is  referred  to  the  Standing  Commit- 
tee on  Kelief";  or,  "If  there  be  no  objection, 
the  motion  is  adopted  and  will  be  so  recorded 
by  the   clerk."   The   Chairman     should     take 
the  vote  by  general  consent  only  in  cases  where 
there  is  no  probability  of  difference  in  opinion. 

If  any  objection  is  raised,  a  more  formal 
vote  must  be  at  once  taken.  Any  member  who 
objects,  rises,  addresses  the  Chair,  and  says, 
"I  object." 

2.  By  Acclamation.     The  question  is  put 
to  the  assembly,  and  then     the     Chair     says, 
"Those  in  favor  of  this  motion  will  say  aye. 
Those  opposed  will  say  no"  Vote  is  by  voice, 
and  the  Chair  judges  by  the  volume  of  sound 
reaching  his  ear  whether  the  vote  is  affirmative 
or  negative.    He  then  says,  "The  ayes  have  it, 
and  the  motion  is  carried";  or,  "The  noes  have 
it,  and  the  motion  is  lost." 

3.  The  Standing  vote.     If  the  Chair  is  in 
doubt  he  may  say  so  and  ask  for  a  standing 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       21 

vote,  saying,  "Those  in  favor  of  this  motion 
will  rise  and  stand  to  be  counted,"  and  when 
the  count  has  been  made  by  the  Chair,  by  the 
Secretary,  or  by  tellers,  one  of  whom  counts 
votes,  the  Chair  asks  the  members  to  be  seated, 
and  then  calls  for  the  opposing  vote  to  be 
given  in  the  same  manner.  Any  member  may 
ask  for  a  standing  vote. 

The  Standing  Vote  is  also  termed  a  division 
of  the  house.  If  many  persons  are  already 
standing  for  lack  of  seats,  the  division  may  be 
made  by  going  to  different  sides  of  the  room, 
or  into  different  lobbies.  When  there  is  a 
division  of  the  house,  the  Chair  in  any  case  of 
uncertainty  decides  who  has  a  right  to  vote 
and  who  shall  be  excused  from  voting.  After 
division  is  over,  the  assembly  may  correct  any 
error  made  by  the  Chair. 

Besides  being  used  for  verification,  the 
Standing  Vote  is  called  for  when  it  is  desired 
to  show  respect  to  persons  of  distinction,  or  to 
the  memory  of  a  deceased  member,  and  when- 
ever great  determination  is  to  be  expressed. 

4.  By  Raising  of  Hands.  This  method  of 
voting  is  useful  where  noise  is  to  be  avoided 
and  where  the  assembly  is  small.  The  Chair 
puts  the  question  in  the  following  form:  "As 
many  as  are  in  favor  of  this  motion  will  raise 
the  right  hand. — The  count  is  made. — As  many 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

as  are  opposed  will  manifest  it  in  the  same 
manner." 

5.  By  Yeas  and  Nays.  The  vote  is  taken 
by  yeas  and  nays  whenever  so  required  by  the 
number  of  members  designated  by  a  rule  of 
the  assembly.  In  the  IT.  S.  Congress,  one-fifth 
of  a  quorum  can  order  the  vote  to  be  taken 
by  yeas  and  nays.  Unless  a  special  rule  gov- 
erns the  assembly,  the  yeas  and  nays  should 
be  taken  only  when  called  for  by  a  majority 
vote,  as  it  is  a  slow  process  of  voting,  and  is 
sometimes  called  for  in  order  to  consume  time 
and  delay  business. 

The  object  of  taking  a  vote  in  this  way  is 
to  enable  the  clerk  to  keep  a  record  of  the 
vote  of  each  member.  The  Chair  puts  the 
question  in  the  following  form:  "Those  in 
favor  of  the  adoption  of  the  resolution  will, 
when  their  names  are  called,  answer  yes;  those 
opposed  will  answer  no."  The  Secretary  or 
Clerk,  having  a  list  of  the  names  of  members 
in  alphabetic  order,  proceeds  to  call  the  roll. 
Each  member  rises  when  his  name  is  called 
and  answers  either  yes  or  no,  and  the  clerk 
records  the  answer,  giving  the  yeas  in  one 
column  and  the  nays  in  another.  The  column 
for  yeas  usually  stands  before  the  names,  the 
column  for  nays  after  them,  on  the  right.  The 
olork  puts  down  the  number  of  each  in  consecu- 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

tive  order,  adding  as  he  goes.  After  the  list 
has  been  gone  through  the  Clerk  reads  the 
names  of  those  who  voted  in  the  affirmative, 
and  afterward  the  names  of  those  who  voted 
in  the  negative,  permitting  errors  to  be  cor- 
rected. The  Clerk  then  hands  the  list  to  the 
Chair  who  announces  the  result  of  the  vote. 
The  list  of  votes  as  taken  must  be  recorded 
in  the  minutes. 

In  taking  the  vote  by  yeas  and  nays  the 
call  cannot  be  interrupted  after  the  first  name 
has  been  called,  but  must  be  continued  to  the 
end,  even  though  the  hour  for  adjourment  be 
past. 

The  vote  on  the  question  of  demanding  the 
yeas  and  nays  is  taken  by  rising. 

As  each  member  responds  to  his  name, 
yes  or  no,  his  vote  is  counted  aloud  by  the 
Clerk. 

A  member  who  calls  for  the  yeas  and  nays 
is  himself  required  to  vote. 

6.  By  Ballot.  This  form  of  voting  is  in- 
tended to  be  absolutely  secret,  and  is  used  only 
when  required  by  the  rules,  or  in  election  of 
officers,  or  when  a  motion  is  carried  for  spe- 
cial cases  to  be  decided  by  ballot.  The  Chair 
appoints  two  or  more  tellers  who  distribute 
blank  ballots  upon  which  the  members  write 
their  votes.  No  more  than  the  requisite  num- 


24  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

ber  of  ballots  should  be  given  to  any  member, 
and  when  written  the  ballot  should  be  folded 
and  held  in  such  a  manner  that  the  tellers  can 
see  that  no  more  than  the  legitimate  number 
of  votes  is  deposited  by  one  member.  Each 
member  should  cast  his  ballot  with  his  own 
hand.  When  the  ballot  is  declared  by  the  Chair 
to  be  closed,  the  tellers  collect  all  the  ballots, 
without  personally  touching  them,  and  in 
the  presence  of  the  assembly,  or  of  its  appoint- 
ed inspectors,  count  each  ballot  separately, 
making  a  list  of  the  ballots  cast  and  of  each 
person  or  object  receiving  a  vote.  Blank  bal- 
lots are  not  counted,  and  doubtful  ones  are  cast 
out.  The  misspelling  of  a  name  does  not  in- 
validate a  ballot. 

Having  completed  the  count,  the  tellers  make 
a  statement  to  the  Chair,  who,  if  the  ballot  be 
for  election,  announces  the  result  as  follows: 

"The  total  number  of  votes  cast  is .  The 

number  necesary  to  choice  is .  Mr.  A.  hav- 
ing received votes  is  therefore  declared 

elected."  In  case  no  candidate  receives  the 
number  of  votes  required,  a  new  ballot  must 
be  taken,  and  still  another  and  another  till 
there  is  an  election. 

Black  and  while  balls  are  often  used  in 
balloting,  the  black  being  used  for  negative, 
the  white  for  affirmative  votes.  In  this  case 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       25 

the  members  go  to  the  ballot  box  to  deposit 
their  votes,  their  names  being  checked  off  as 
they  vote. 

If  there  be  but  one  candidate,  or  if  the  as- 
sembly be  unanimously  in  favor  of  one  candi- 
date, and  the  Constitution  requires  the  election 
to  be  by  ballot,  much  time  may  be  saved  by 
authorizing  the  Secretary  or  a  Teller  to  cast 
the  ballot  for  the  candidate.  In  such  case  it 
is  customary  for  some  member  to  move,  for 
instance,  "that  the  Secretary  be  instructed  to 
cast  the  ballot  for  Mr.  A.  as  Treasurer."  This 
is  seconded,  and  the  Chair  puts  the  motion  to 
vote  by  acclamation.  If  carried,  the  Secretary 
lays  upon  the  table  a  slip  of  paper  bearing  the 
name  of  Mr.  A.,  and  says,  "I  cast  the  ballot 
for  Mr.  A.  as  Treasurer/'  The  chair  then  says, 
"Mr.  A.  is  declared  elected/' 

But  if  the  vote  to  have  the  ballot  cast  by  the 
person  named  be  not  unanimous,  then  the  bal- 
loting must  be  carried  through  in  the  usual 
way. 

A  vote  by  ballot  cannot  be  reconsidered,  but 
it  can  be  thrown  out  if  found  to  be  irregular. 

VOTE  AND  VOTING. 

A  motion  to  make  a  vote  unanimous  fails 
if  any  objection  is  raised.  A  vote  can  be  made 
unanimous  only  by  a  unanimous  vote.  The 


26  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

motion  may  be  made  only  by  one  of  the  mi- 
nority. 

No  member  should  vote  upon  a  question  in 
which  he  is  solely  or  chiefly  concerned. 

The,  negative  as  well  as  the  affirmative  vote 
should  always  be  taken,  except  when  the  vote 
is  known  to  be  unanimous,  and  excepting  also 
the  vote  upon  a  resolution  of  thanks,  a  mes- 
sage of  condolence,  or  any  motion  upon  which 
a  negative  vote  would  violate  good  taste. 

It  is  the  duty  of  all  -members  to  vote,  but  it 
is  not  necessary  that  all  should  vote  in  order 
to  reach  a  valid  decision.  If  a  competent 
number  be  present,  business  may  be  transacted 
whether  few  or  many  choose  to  vote.  Those 
persistently  silent  cannot,  therefore,  obstruct 
business  if  others  are  prepared  to  proceed  to 
a  decision. 

A  member  may  change  his  vote,  when  not 
taken  by  ballot,  before  the  result  has  been 
announced  by  the  Chair,  but  not  afterward. 

Any  member  not  present  when  the  ques- 
tion was  stated,  has  no  right  to  vote  there- 
upon. 

The  mover  may  in  the  progress  of  debate 
be  converted  to  an  opposing  view  of  his  own 
motion,  and  he  may  vote  against  it,  though  he 
may  not  speak  against  it. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  no  debate  is 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       27 

permissible  before  the  statement  of  a  motion 
by  the  Chair,  and  that  after  voting  there  can 
be  no  further  debate.  Ample  opportunity  for 
discussion  should  be  given  after  the  motion  is 
stated  and  before  it  is  put  to  vote.  Every 
member  has  the  right  to  know  precisely  what 
he  is  to  vote  upon,  and  the  Chair  should  dis- 
tinctly state  the  question  before  debate,  and 
should  clearly  put  the  question  before  calling 
for  the  vote. 

The  rejection  of  a  proposition  is  an  ad- 
vancement of  business  as  surely  as  is  its  ac- 
ceptance. 

No  motion  is  in  order  that  conflicts  with 
the  Constitution  or  By-laws  of  a  society,  nor 
with  its  Special  Rules,  nor  with  any  proposi- 
tion already  agreed  to;  and  if  any  such  motion 
be  carried  it  is  of  no  effect. 

After  a  motion  is  stated  it  must  stand  as 
stated  unless  amended  by  vote.  Debate  may 
influence  the  vote  upon  a  motion,  but  cannot 
change  the  motion  itself.  The  object  of  debate 
is  to  win  votes. 

When  the  Chair  sees  that  no  one  wishes  to 
discuss  the  question  longer,  he  may  rise  and 
say,  "Are  you  ready  for  the  question?"  or,  "If 
there  is  no  further  debate  the  vote  will  now  be 
taken.''  He  then  may  put  the  question  to  vote. 


28  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 


WHEN  THE  CHAIR  VOTES. 

1.  The  Chair  Votes  when  the   Vote  is  by 
Ballot.     In   this   case   he   votes   when   others 
vote,   and   in   precisely   the  same   way.      His 
vote  counts  for  no  more  and  no  less  than  that 
of  any  other  member. 

2.  The  Chair  Votes  when  the  Yeas  and  Nays 
are  called.     In  this  case  he  votes,  not  in  the 
alphabetic  order  of  his  name,  but  last  of  all, 
the  other  officers  voting  just  before  him.    This 
arrangement  prevents  the  votes  of  the  members 
of  the  assembly  from  being  unduly  influenced 
by  the  vote  of  the  officers. 

3.  The  Chair  may  Vote  whenever  his  Vote 
changes  the  Result.     He  has  the  casting  vote, 
and  may  vote 

(a)  When  there  is  a  tie.  If  there  be  a  tie 
the  motion  is  lost  because  there  is  no  majority. 
If  the  Chair  does  not  wish  to  save  the  meas- 
ure he  says,  "There  is  a  tie  and  the  motion  is 
lost."  But  if  the  Chair  wishes  to  save  the 
measure  he  says,  "There  is  a  tie;  the  Chair 
votes  with  the  ayes  and  the  motion  is  carried." 

It  is  evident  that  the  vote  which  changes 
the  result  has  no  greater  power  when  the  Chair 
casts  it  than  it  would  have  if  cast  by  any  other 
member.  The  Chair  does  not,  through  being 
in  the  chair,  lose  his  right  to  vote  at  any  time 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       29 

when  other  members  may  vote,  but  he  refrains 
from  voting  because  his  single  vote  has  no 
power  except  as  a  casting  vote,  and  then  he 
votes  or  refrains  from  voting  in  accordance 
with  his  view  of  the  question  at  issue.  He  is 
not  obliged  to  vote.  If  he  votes  when  there 
is  a  tie,  he  always  votes  in  the  affirmative. 

(&)  The  Chair  may  vote  when  his  vote 
wakes  a  tie.  If  there  be  a  majority  of  but 
one,  the  Chair  may  change  the  result  by  voting 
with  the  noes,  thus  destroying  the  majority. 
In  this  case,  instead  of  saying  "The  ayes  have 
it  and  the  motion  is  carried/'  he  says,  for  in- 
stance, "There  are  nine  ayes  and  eight  noes. 
The  Chair  votes  with  the  noes,  making  a  tie, 
and  the  motion  is  lost."  When  the  vote  of 
the  Chair  makes  a  tie  he  always  votes  in  the 
negative.  Of  course,  the  exact  number  of  votes 
on  each  side  must  have  been  previously  as- 
certained by  a  standing  vote  or  by  a  show  of 
hands. 

When  the  vote  is  by  ballot,  the  Chair,  if 
he  vote  at  all,  must  vote  at  the  same  time  and 
in  the  same  way  as  do  other  members,  and  he 
cannot  again  vote  if  the  result  prove  to  be  a 
tie  or  a  majority  of  one. 

(c)  In  the  same  way  the  Chair  may  make 
up  or  destroy  a  two-thirds  or  a  three-fourths 
or  any  required  vote,  provided  the  result  be 


30  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

such  that  it  can  be  changed  by  a  single  vote. 
For  instance,  he  may  say  after  the  count  has 
been  made  on  a  motion  requiring  a  two-thirds 
vote,  "There  are  nine  ayes  and  five  noes.  The 
Chair  votes  with  the  ayes,  making  the  required 
two-thirds,  and  the  motion  is  carried."  Or 
there  may  be  before  the  assembly  an  amend- 
ment to  the  Constitution  requiring  a  three- 
fourths  vote,  and  the  count  ni£iy  have  shown 
fifteen  ayes  and  five  noes.  If  the  Chair  wishes 
to  prevent  the  amendment  he  may  say,  "There 
are  fifteen  ayes  and  five  noes.  The  Chair  votes 
with  the  noes,  destroying  a  three-fourths  vote, 
and  the  amendment  is  lost." 

When  the  Chair  thus  votes,  his  declaration 
of  the  result  makes  it  plain  that  his  vote  has 
been  cast  with  the  purpose  of  changing  that 
result. 

A  motion  once  lost  cannot  be  introduced 
again  during  the  session  unless  the  vote  be 
reconsidered. 

MEETING.     SESSION. 

A  meeting  is  a  single  assemblage,  covering 
only  the  time  from  convening  to  adjournment. 
A  session  may  continue  a  day,  a  month,  or  a 
year,  and  may  consist  of  one  or  of  a  series  of 
meetings.  The  sessions  of  clubs  are  properly 


PAKLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       31 

divided  by  their  annual  meetings,  and  a  lost 
motion,  in  such  an  organization,  should  not 
therefore  he  again  introduced,  if  introduced  at 
all,  until  after  the  next  annual  meeting. 

SUBSIDIARY  MOTIONS. 

1 — Question  of  consideration,  I.  %.  R. 
2— To  lay  on  the  table,  F.  S.  R.-? 
3-— The  previous  question,  F.  S.  %.  R. 

To  postpone  to  a  certain  day,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

To  commit,  recommit  or  refer,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

To  postpone  indefinitely,  F.  S.  D.  R. 
4 — To  amend,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

The  seven  subsidiary  motions  may  be  ap 
plied  singly  to  the  principal  motion  for  the 
purpose  of  disposing  of  it  temporarily  or  final- 
ly, or  of  modifying  it  in  such  manner  as  to 
make  it  express  the  will  of  the  assembly  more 
perfectly. 

As  a  rule,  the  subsidiary  motions  are  not 
applicable  to  each  other;  but  there  are  excep- 
tions in  the  Previous  Question,  which  may  be 
applied  to  any  debatable  motion,  and  in  the 
motion  to  amend  which  may  be  applied  to  itself, 
and  to  the  motions  to  commit  and  to  postpone 
to  a  certain  time. 

Subsidiary  motions  must  always  be  decided 
before  the  principal  motion.  None  of  them 


32  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

need  be  in  writing,  except  an  amendment, 
which  should  be  written  if  lengthy.  The  intro- 
ducer off  subsidiary,  or  any  other  motions, 
should  always  rise  and  address  the  Chair,,  and 
every  seconder  should  do  likewise.  $11  the  sub- 
sidiary motions,  except  the  question  of  con- 
sideration, must  be  seconded,  The  high  rank 
of  the  question  of  consideration,  and  the  fact 
that  it  can  be  introduced  only  before  debate 
has  begun;  gives  it  power  to  interrupt  the  first 
speaker  in  debate,  and  to  be  raised  without 
getting  the  floor.  For  all  subsidiary  questions 
of  lower  rank  the  floor  must  be  obtained.  Were 
the  rule  otherwise,  the  Chair  in  times  of  excite- 
ment and  the  making  of  many  different  mo- 
tions simultaneously,  would  be  unable  to  pre- 
serve order  in  the  rank  of  motions.  Since  each 
subsidiary  motion  has  a  unique  effect  upon 
the  main  question,  the  fate  of  the  main  ques- 
tion often  depends  upon  strict  adherence  to 
the  rule  that  the  subsidiary  motions  applied  to 
it  shall  be  eaeh  stated  in  the  order  demanded 
by  its  established  rank. 

The  relative  rank  of  the  seven  subsidiary 
motions  is  indicated  by  the  figures  at  the  ex- 
treme left  in  the  foregoing  table. 

Four  of  these  questions  are  more  or  less  de- 
batable, and  three  of  them  may  be  amended. 
All  except  two  are  carried  by  a  majority  vote. 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  33 

The  only  vote  upon  any  of  them  which  cannot 
be  reconsidered  is  an  affirmative  vote  on  the 
motion  to  lay  on  the  table. 

THE  QUESTION  OF   GONSIDEBATION. 

The  assembly,  on  hearing  a  proposition,  may 
decide  to  consider  it,  or  may  refuse  to  consider 
it.  The  question  proposed  may  tend  to  con- 
tention, or  may  be  libelous,  irrelevant,  or  un- 
profitable. Is  order  to  determine  whether  the 
assembly  will  consider  it,  any  member  may  raise 
the  question  of  consideration,  rising  in  his 
place,  addressing  the  Chair,  and  saying,  jPl 
raise  the  question  of  consideration."  This 
requires  no  seconder.7  The  Chair  may  raise  the 
question  solely  on  his  own  responsibility. 

This  question  was  formerly  put  to  every 
principal  motion  as  soon  as  the  Chair  had 
stated  it;  but  now  every  question  properly 
introduced  is  considered,  unless  a  vote  against 
consideration  is  given.  The  question  of  con- 
sideration can  be  raised  only  before  the  main 
question  has  been  considered.  A  speaker  to 
whom  the  floor  has  already  been  given  may  be 
interrupted  by  it.  But  after  the  first  speaker 
has  more  than  begun  his  speech,  or  after  any 
subsidiary  or  incidental  motion  applying  to  the 
main  question  has  been  stated  by  the  Chair,  it  is 


34  PARLIAMENTARY    PROCEDURE. 

too  late  to  raise  the  question  of  consideration. 
It  has  then  already  been  considered,  and  there- 
fore the  question  of  consideration  is  no  longer 
relevant. 

Thia-jquestion  is  applicable  to  nothing  but 
the  main  question.  It  is  not  debatable  nor 
nmendable.  No  subsidiary  motion  can  be 
applied  to  it. 

Though  this  question  has  no  standing  unless 
seasonably  raised,  if  seasonably  raised  it  is 
not  taken  off  the  floor  by  anything  except  a 
point  of  order,  and  does  not  yield  place  even 
to  an  order  of  the  day. 

A  two-thirds  negative  vote  is  required  to 
prevent  consideration.  A  motion  might  be 
able  to  secure  the  respect  of  the  assembly, 
although  a  bare  majority  thought  its  considera- 
tion inexpedient,  and  an  elucidation  of  the 
subject  during  debate  might  even  show  it  to 
be  of  great  importance.  A  question  ought  not 
therefore  to  be  suppressed  and  debate  pre- 
vented, on  less  than  a  two-thirds  vote  against 
it. 

When,  after  the  statement  of  the  main  ques- 
tion and  before  debate  has  begun,  many  sub- 
sidiary questions  are  simultaneously  raised, 
this  question  takes  precedence  of  all  others, 
and  is  stated  first  by  the  Chair.  When  the 
Chair  hears  a  member  say,  "I  raise  the  ques- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       35 

tion  of  consideration,"  the  Chair  at  once  puts 
it  to  vote,  allowing  no  debate,  and  saying, 
"The  question  of  consideration  is  raised.  Those 
in  favor  of  considering  the  question  will  rise 
and  stand  to  be  counted. — Be  seated. — Those 
opposed  will  rise."  Thereafter  the  Chair  an- 
nounces the  result  of  the  vote,  saying,  either, 
"The  ayes  have  it,  and  the  question  will  be 
considered";  or,  "The  noes  have  it,  and  the 
assembly  refuses  to  consider  the  question."  If 
the  ayes  have  it,  a  two-thirds  negative  vote  not 
having  been  given,  the  assembly  proceeds  to 
consider  the  question  just  as  though  the  ques- 
tion of  consideration  had  not  been  raised.  But 
if  the  noes  have  it,  the  principal  motion  is 
dropped  out  of  the  proceedings,  and,  like  a 
lost  motion,  cannot  again  be  introduced  during 
the  session.  The  principal  motion  and  also 
the  disposal  of  it  are,  however,  recorded  in 
the  minutes. 

An  affirmative  vote  on  the  question  of  con- 
sideration can  be  reconsidered,  but  not  after 
consideration  has  begun.  A  negative  vote  can 
be  reconsidered  at  any  time  during  the  day  on 
which  the  question  was  raised. 


36  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

TO  LAY  ON  THE  TABLE. 
P.  S.  R.-? 

If  a  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  is  carried,  it 
removes  the  principal  question  temporarily 
from  the  assembly,  the  time  for  which  it  is 
laid  away  being  undetermined.  It  may  be 
made  by  the  friends  or  by  the  enemies  of  the 
proposition.  If  there  is  no  probability  of  ob- 
taining a  majority  vote  for  the  main  question, 
and  its  friends  hope  it  will  have  a  better  chance 
at  a  later  time,  they  may  move  to  lay  it  on  the 
table  in  order  to  prevent  its  defeat.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  enemies  of  the  measure  may 
think  its  friends  so  powerful  that  there  is  dan- 
ger of  its  being  carried,  and  may  hope  that 
by  temporarily  laying  it  aside  they  can  strength- 
en their  own  force  against  it.  Or  time  may 
be  lacking  for  present  discussion  of  it,  or  an- 
other question  may  require  to  be  first  decided, 
or  advantage  may  in  some  way  be  gained  by 
delay. 

By  laying  the  question  on  the  table,  it  re- 
mains within  the  power  of  the  assembly  to  re- 
sume its  consideration  at  any  time  when  no 
other  question  is  before  the  assembly.  It  may 
be  taken  up  at  any  time  after  other  business 
shall  have  been  transacted,  and  before  the  end 
of  the  session. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       37 

This  motion  is  often  made  with  the  inten- 
tion of  defeating  a  measure.  If  a  question  is 
laid  upon  the  table  and  is  not  taken  up  before 
the  end  of  the  session,  it  has  to  be  introduced 
as  a  new  question,  if  introduced  at  all,  at  the 
next  session. 

The  fundamental  principles  of  Parliamen- 
tary Law  require  that  every  motion  that  sup- 
presses a  question  that  the  assembly  has  de- 
cided to  consider,  should  itself  be  open  to  full 
debate.  Laying  a  question  on  the  table  leaves 
it  so  that  the  assembly  can  at  any  time  con- 
sider it  further,  and  this  motion  is  therefore 
not  debatable. 

This  question  is  of  high  rank,  and  if  many 
subsidiary  motions  are  simultaneously  mad!e 
after  debate  has  begun,  this  is  first  stated.  It 
can  be  made  when  any  other  subsidiary  mo- 
tion, except  the  question  of  consideration,  is 
pending.  This  high  rank,  giving  power  to  su- 
persede other  subsidiary  motions,  is  incompat- 
ible with  the  right  of  occupying  time  in  debate. 
If  questions  of  high  rank  were  debatable,  they 
could  be  used  to  prevent  the  assembly  from 
coming  to  a  vote  on  the  main  question  and 
could  thus  greatly  hinder  business. 

This  motion  applies  to  the  main  question 
and  to  what  adheres  to  the  main  question.  It 
may  also  be  applied  to  a  question  of  privilege, 


38  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

to  an  appeal  from  a  decision  of  the  Chair,  to 
a  motion  for  reconsideration,  and  to  an  amend- 
ment to  the  minutes,  these  questions  having  the 
status  of  main  questions  while  before  the  house. 
If  it  is  decided  in  the  affirmative,  the  motion 
to  which  it  is  applied,  together  with  all  other 
motions  at  the  time  connected  with  it,  is  re- 
moved from  before  the  assembly  until  it  is  by 
a  majority  vote  again  taken  up. 

An  amendment  to  the  minutes,  however,  be- 
ing laid  on  the  table,  does  not  carry  the  min- 
utes with  it;  a  motion  to  reconsider,  when  laid 
on  the  table,  leaves  the  original  question  un- 
affected ;  and  an  appeal,  laid  on  the  table,  does 
not  influence  the  main  question. 

The  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  can  be  neither 
qualified  nor  amended.  It  may  be  made  before 
debate  begins,  at  any  time  during  debate,  and 
even  after  debate  is  closed.  It  may  be  made 
when  amendments  are  pending,  and  if  then 
carried,  it  carries  to  the  table  all  pending 
amendments;  and  these  are  also  taken  from 
the  table  whenever  the  main  question  is  taken 
up.  In  the  same  way,  if  agreed  to,  it  carries 
to  the  table  the  motion  to  postpone,  to  commit, 
to  close  debate,  or  any  other  adherent  motion. 
The  mover  says:  "I  move  to  lay  this  question 
on  the  table."  The  Chair  says:  "It  is  moved 
to  lay  this  question  on  the  table.  Those  in 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       39 

favor  of  so  doing  will  say  aye.  Those  opposed 
will  say  no."  Then  the  Chair  announces  the 
result  of  the  vote,  saying:  "The  ayes  have  it, 
and  the  question  is  laid  on  the  table:"  or, 
"The  noes  have  it,  and  the  question  is  still  be- 
fore the  assembly." 

If  the  motion  is  lost,  it  may  be  renewed  after 
an  amendment  has  been  made. 

An  affirmative  vote  on  this  motion  cannot . 
be   reconsidered,   because   a   speedier   way   of 
reaching  the  same  result  would  be  by  a  motion 
to  take  from  the  table.    A  negative  vote  can  be    - 
reconsidered,   but   not   after  the  business   has 
proceeded  farther,  because  the  motion  can  then 
be  renewed. 

TO  TAKE  PROM  THE  TABLE. 
P.  S.  R.-? 

A  question  that  has  been  laid  on  the  table 
may  be  taken  from  the  table  at  any  time  after 
other  business  has  been  transacted,  when  no 
other  business  is  before  the  assembly. 

The  motion  to  take  it  from  the  table  must 
be  made  by  some  one  who  voted  to  lay  it  on  the  / 
table.  The  justice  of  this  rule  is  apparent  if 
we  suppose  the  question  to  have  been  laid  on 
the  table  by  its  friends,  and  that  in  their  ab- 
sence the  enemies  of  the  measure  ought  not  to 


40  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

be  able  to  take  it  up  and  adversely  dispose  of  it. 
Whatever  faction  laid  the  question  on  the  table 
has  a  right  to  hold  it  there  during  their  pleas- 
ure, they  being  necessarily  a  majority.  It  is 
therefore  expedient  to  vote  with  the  majority, 
if  the  question  is  inevitably  to  be  laid  on  the 
table. 

No  subsidiary  motion  can  be  applied  to  the 
motion  to  take  from  the  table.  The  mover  says : 
"I  move  to  take  from  the  table  the  question 

concerning ."  If  carried,  the  Secretary 

reads  from  the  minutes  the  question  to  be  taken 
up,  making  plain  the  adherent  motions. 

When  taken  from  the  table  the  question 
stands  just  as  it  did  when  laid  on  the  table. 

If  a  motion  to  take  from  the  table  is  lost  it 
can  be  renewed  at  any  time  after  other  business 
has  been  transacted,  when  no  business  is  before 
the  house.  An  affirmative  vote  on  this  motion 
cannot  be  reconsidered.  A  negative  vote  upon 
it  may  be  reconsidered. 

A  question  may  be  laid  upon  the  table  and 
taken  therefrom  any  number  of  times. 


PARLIAMENTARY    PROCEDURE.  41 

THE  PREVIOUS  QUESTION. 
F.  S.  %.  E. 

This  is  a  term  inherited  from  England, 
where  it  was  formerly  used  in  avoidance  of  a 
direct  vote  on  matters  affecting  high  person- 
ages. In  America  it  means  the. closing  of  de- 
,bate.  Were  there  no  way  of  shutting  off  de- 
bate, the  minority  might  by  persistent  discus- 
sion prevent  a  decision  upon  the  business  before 
the  assembly.  If  the  motion  for  the  Previous 
Question  is  carried,  it  ,jnj±s_of£ ...debate  and 
brings  the  assembly  to  vote  on  the  pending  ques- 
tion. If  determined  in  the  negative  the  debate 
goes  on. 

?  The  Previous  Question  may  be  moved  to  all 
debatable  motions  and  is  limited  to  that  to 
which  it  is  applied  by  the  mover.  It  can  be 
moved  solely  on  an  amendment,  on  an  amend- 
ment to  an  amendment,  on  the  motion  to  refer 
to  a  committee,  on  the  motion  to  postpone  to 
a  certain  time,  or  on  the  motion  to  postpone 
indefinitely. 

Its  force  is  exhausted  when  it  has  accom- 
plished its  object,  the  closing  of  the  debate  on 
that  to  which  it  is  applied.  If  applied  to  post- 
ponement only,  it  does  not  close  debate  on  the 
main  question;  if  to  the  motion  to  commit, 


4:2  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

it  is  exhausted  when  the  question  of  reference 
to  a  committee  is  decided ;  if  to  an  amendment, 
its  force  ceases  when  the  amendment  has  been 
voted  upon.  If  applied  to  a  main  question 
when  amendments  are  pending  it  also  covers 
the  amendments,  and  neither  the  amendments 
nor  the  main  question  can  be  further  debated. 

In  the  U.  S.  Senate  the  Previous  Question 
cannot  be  moved,  prejudice  being  strong  against 
shutting  off  debate  in  that  deliberative  body. 

The  motion  to  close  debate  should  be  made 
only  when  debate  has  exhausted  the  subject, 
and  when  there  is  no  probability  of  further  en- 
lightenment through  discussion. 

The  right  of  debate  on  any  debatable  ques- 
tion does  not  cease  until  the  assembly  so  orders 
by  the  adoption  of  the  Previous  Question.  Un- 
less so  ordered,  debate  may  even  interrupt  the 
vote  if  the  noes  have  not  been  called  for.  If 
there  be  debate  after  the  ayes  have  responded, 
then  the  vote  must  again  be  taken.  But  after 
the  noes  have  been  called  for,  debate  must  in 
any  case  cease. 

To  shut  off  further  debate  is  looked  upon  as 
so  serious  an  action  that  a  two-thirds  affirma- 
tive vote  is  generally  required  to  carry  the  Pre- 
vious Question;  but  when  party  feeling  runs 
high  the  rule  for  a  two-thirds  vote  might  defeat 
the  object  of  the  motion.  In  the  House  of 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       43 

Commons  a  majority,  with  the  assent  of  the 
speaker,  may  close  debate. 

Common  unwillingness  to  cut  off  discussion 
is  probably  a  sufficient  protection  against  the 
abuse  of  this  motion. 

It  ranks  below  the  Question  of  Considera- 
tion and  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table,  and  it 
should  not  be  moved  when  either  of  these  is 
pending.  It  is  of  the  same  rank  with  the  two 
motions  to  postpone  and  the  motion  to  refer  to 
a  committee,  and  cannot  be  put  while  either  of 
its  equals  in  rank  is  pending. 

In  some  legislative  bodies  the  Previous  Ques- 
tion outranks  the  other  three  just  named,  as 
well  as  the  motion  to  amend,  and  may  be  put 
when  either  of  them  is  pending. 

An  adjournment  may  be  moved  after  the 
Previous  Question  is  ordered  and  before  the 
main  question  is  voted  upon.  If  carried,  the 
main  question  is  put  to  vote  at  the  next  meet- 
ing immediately  after  the  reading  of  the  min- 
utes, or  as  unfinished  business. 

A  question  may  be  laid  on  the  table  after 
debate  upon  it  has  been  closed;  but  it  cannot 
be  debated  if  taken  up  at  a  later  time. 

No  debatable  motion  can  be  applied  to  the 
main  question  after  debate  upon  it  has  been 
closed  by  vote. 

It  is  allowable  for  a  mem'ber  to  submit  a 


44       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

resolution  and  at  the  same  time  move  the  Pre- 
vious Question  thereon. 

The  Previous  Question  may  be  affirmatively 
voted  upon  before  debate  has  begun,,  thus  pre- 
venting debate. 

The  adoption  of  the  motion  closing  debate 
does  not  deprive  the  introducer  of  the  principal 
motion  of  his  right  to  speak  last  in  debate, 
and  one  speech  may  therefore  be  made  after 
the  Previous  Question  is  ordered  on  the  main 
question. 

There  are,  in  common  use,  various  mislead- 
ing forms  of  putting  the  Previous  Question. 
Probably  the  clearest  and  most  concise  form  is 
as  follows :  "The  Previous  Question  is  moved. 
Those  in  favor  of  now  closing  the  debate  will 
rise  and  stand  to  be  counted. — Be  seated. — 
Those  opposed  will  rise."  This  form  precisely 
expresses  what  is  voted  upon,  while  other  forms 
do  not. 

The  result  of  the  vote  may  be  announced  as, 
"The  ayes  have  it,  and  debate  is  closed";  or, 
"The  noes  have  it,  and  debate  will  continue." 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       46 

TO  POSTPONE  TO  A  CERTAIN  DAY  OB 
TIME  OF  THE  DAY. 

P.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

This  motion  may  be  made  with  the  object 
of  giving  the  members  time  to  inform  them- 
selves, or  because  a  certain  learned  man  can 
then  be  present,  or  because  the  subject  requires 
more  time  than  is  at  hand,  or  for  other  reasons. 

Business  cannot  be  postponed  beyond  the 
end  of  the  session,  except  in  conventions  whose 
special  rules  permit  it  to  come  up  with  unfin- 
ished business  during  the  next  session.  In  Con- 
gress a  motion  cannot  be  postponed  to  the  next 
session. 

A  measure  can  be  postponed  only  to  a  time 
when  it  can  be  brought  before  the  assembly.  A 
motion  to  postpone  to  an  impossible  time  would 
be  equivalent  to  a  motion  to  postpone  indefin- 
itely, and  should  be  so  presented. 

The  day  and  the  hour  should  be  fixed  by  the 
motion.  The  mover  may  say,  "I  move  to  post- 
pone this  question  to  next  Tuesday  at  three 
o' clock."  This  having  been  seconded,  stated, 
and  subjected  to  debate,  if  no  amendment  of 
time  were  made,  the  Chair  would  put  it  to 
vote  by  saying,  "The  question  is  upon  post- 
poning this  question  to  next  Tuesday  at  three 
o'clock.  Those  in  favor  of  this  will  say  aye. 


46       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

Those  opposed  will  say  no!'  The  result  of 
the  vote  would  then  be  announced,  the  Chair 
saying,  "The  ayes  have  it,  and  the  question 
is  postponed  to  next  Tuesday  at  three  o'clock" ; 
or,  "The  noes  have  it,  and  the  question  is  still 
before  the  assembly." 

This  motion  allows  limited  debate  on  the 
propriety  of  postponement,  but  no  debate  on 
the  merits  of  the  main  question.  It  can  be 
amended  only  as  to  time. 

If  it  is  desired  to  hold  an  adjourned  meet- 
ing to  consider  a  special  subject,  the  time  to 
which  the  assembly  shall  adjourn  should  be 
fixed  before  making  the  motion  to  postpone  to 
that  day. 

This  motion  can  be  made  when  a  motion  to 
amend  is  pending,  being  of  higher  rank.  It  is 
of  equal  rank  with  the  motion  for  the  previous 
question,  to  commit,  and  to  postpone  indef- 
initely, and  consequently  none  of  them  is  in 
order  when  this  motion  is  pending ;  neither  can 
this  motion  be  made  when  either  of  the  other 
three  is  pending. 

The  effect  of  the  motion  if  carried  is  to  post- 
pone the  entire  subject  with  all  pending  amend- 
ments to  the  time  specified.  Before  the  time 
arrives  it  may  be  taken  up  by  no  less  than  a 
two-thirds  vote,  and  a  unanimous  vote  might 
well  be  required.  To  permit  it  to  be  taken  up 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       47 

by  a  lesser  number  obliges  a  faction  to  be  al- 
ways on  guard  over  it,  lest  in  their  absence  it 
be  taken  up  and  acted  upon  by  the  opposing 
party. 

ORDER  OF  THE  DAY. 
I.R. 

When  the  specified  time  arrives,  the  post- 
poned question  is  entitled  to  be  taken  up  in 
preference  to  any  other  business.  It  is  referred 
to  as  the  order  of  the  day,  and  can  be  called 
up  on  the  suggestion  of  any  member,  or  the 
Chair  may  lay  it  before  the  assembly.  When 
the  time  fixed  by  the  order  of  the  day  is  reached, 
a  speaker  may  be  interrupted  by  the  call.  Any 
member  may  rise,  address  the  Chair,  and  say, 
---"I  call  for  the  order  of  the  day/'  The  Chair 
may  at  once  bring  forward  the  order  of  the 
day,  or  may  put  the  call  to  vote,  saying,  "Shall 
the  order  of  the  day  be  now  taken  up?"  or, 
"Will  the  assembly  now  proceed  to  the  orders 
of  the  day?"  and  the  question  is  decided  by  a 
majority  vote. 

Or  it  may  bo  that  when  the  Chair  brings 
forward  the  order,  or  orders,  of  the  day,  the 
assembly  prefers  to  go  on  with  the  business 
already  before  it.  In  that  case  any  member 
may  rise,  address  the  Chair,  and  say,  "I  raise 


48       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

the  question  of  present  consideration  against 
the  order  of  the  day";  and  if  present  consid- 
eration be  decided  against,  the  business  pre- 
viously pending  can  go  on.  If  there  were  sev- 
eral orders,  the  question  of  present  considera- 
tion would  have  to  be  raised  against  each  order 
of  the  day  in  succession. 

An  affirmative  vote,  on  taking  up  the  order 
of  the  day,  removes  the  question  previously  un- 
der consideration  from]  before  the  assembly,  as 
though  it  had  been  interrupted  by  an  adjourn- 
ment. 

A  negative  vote  dispenses  with  the  orders  of 
the  day  only  so  far  as  they  interfere  with  the 
question  then  being  considered. 

The  call  for  the  order  of  the  day  cannot  be 
renewed  until  the  question  then  being  consid- 
ered is  disposed  of. 

A  motion  to  take  up  a  question  out  of  its 
proper  order  cannot  be  amended  nor  debated, 
and  requires  a  two-thirds  vote,  being  the  sus- 
pension of  a  rule. 

When  several  questions  have  been  ordered 
for  the  day,  each  question  can  be  laid  on  the 
table  as  it  comes  up,  and  thus  a  particular  ques- 
tion can  be  quickly  reached. 

When  several  questions  are  postponed  to  dif- 
ferent times  and  are  not  reached,  they  must 
be  considered  in  the  order  of  the  times  to 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  49 

which  they  were  assigned.  The  questions  would 
have  priority  in  the  order  of  their  assignment. 
But  the  business  fixed  for  a  certain  hour  has 
at  that  hour  precedence  over  pending  business, 
even  though  that  business  be  an  order  of  the 
day. 

»  A  call  for  orders  of  the  day  takes  precedence 
|  of  everything  except  privileged  questions  and 
rthe  motion  to  reconsider. 

A  subject  may  be  made  a  special  order  by  a 
two-thirds  vote,  the  two-thirds  vote  being  re- 
quired because  the  special  order  is  in  the  na- 
ture of  a  suspension  of  the  rules.  When  the 
special  order  arrives,  it  takes  precedence  of  all 
business  except  the  reading  of  the  minutes.  If 
two  special  orders  are  made  for  the  same  day, 
the  one  first  made  takes  precedence.  Special 
orders  outrank  general  orders. 

Though  a  two-thirds  vote  is  required  for 
making  a  special  order,  that  vote  can  be  recon- 
sidered on  a  majority  vote  for  reconsideration. 

TO  COMMIT,  RECOMMIT,  OR  REFER. 
P.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

A  committee  consists  of  a  selected  number 
of  members  appointed  to  perform  certain  work. 
The  object  of  the  motion  to  refer  to  a  com- 


50       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

mittee,  or  to  recommit  to  the  same  committee, 
is  to  expedite  business,  to  furnish  opportunity 
for  special  investigation  by  certain  members, 
or  to  obtain  expert  judgment.  When  a  mo- 
tion or  report  is  not  well  digested,  and  requires 
many  amendments,  much  time  is  saved  to  the 
assembly  by  referring  it  to  a  committee  for 
revision. 

The  great  value  of  committees  has  led  many 
assemblies  to  perform  nearly  all  their  work  in 
committee  rooms.  This  plan  frees  special 
branches  of  business  from  the  inconvenience  of 
numbers,  and  tends  to  preserve  the  assembly 
from  being  too  greatly  influenced  by  plausible 
harangues. 

The  committee  is  the  creature  of  the  as- 
sembly and  can  in  no  case  exceed  the  instruc- 
tions received  from  the  assembly.  If  the  as- 
sembly directs  the  time  and  place  of  meeting 
and  the  meeting  be  not  held,  new  instructions 
must  be  received  before  the  committee  can  act. 

The  Chair  is  always  instructed  by  the  as- 
sembly as  to  the  manner  of  forming  the  com- 
mittee and  as  to  the  number  of  which  it  shall 
consist. 

Whatever  the  method  of  forming  the  com- 
mittee the  member  first  named  acts  as  tem- 
porary chairman  and  a  permanent  chairman 
is  immediately  elected  by  the  committee  itself, 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       51 

unless  the  chairman  has  been  designated  by  the 
assembly,  or  unless  the  rule  of  the  society  re- 
quires the  appointment  of  the  chairman  by  the 
President. 

The  motion  to  commit  is  debatable  and  may 
be  amended  as  to  the  number  in  the  committee, 
the  manner  of  its  formation,  and  the  instruc- 
tion given.  It  is  carried  by  a  majority  vote, 
which  can  be  reconsidered,  but  not  after  the 
committee  has  acted. 

The  motion  to  commit  may  be  made  while 
amendments  are  pending  and  if  carried  the 
amendments  go  with  the  principal  motion  to 
the  committee. 

The  Previous  Question  may  be  applied  to  this 
motion  and  so  may  the  motion  to  amend  but 
no  other  subsidiary  motion  applies  to  it.  It 
is  itself  applicable  to  nothing  other  than  the 
main  question. 

THERE  ARE  FIVE  KINDS  OP  COM- 
MITTEES. 

1.  Special    Committees   ajre   appointed   for 
a  particular  occasion.     They  are  dissolved  by 
the  act  of  reporting  or  by  the  accomplishment 
of  their  work. 

2.  Standing  Committees  are  created  by  the 
rules  of  the  assembly  and  are  usually  appointed 


52  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

for  the  term  of  one  year  or  for  the  session.  The 
rules  regulate  the  method  of  election  or  ap- 
pointment of  all  standing  committees.  A 
standing  committee  after  a  full  report  has  no 
further  control  of  the  matter  reported,  unless 
there  be  a  new  reference. 

3.  Joint  Committees  are  made  up  of  mem- 
bers of  two  branches  of  a  legislature  or  convo- 
cation and  may  be  either  special  or  standing. 
They  perform  certain  work  in  which  the  two 
branches  have  a  mutual  interest. 

4.  A  Conference  Committee  is  a  committee 
appointed  by  one  branch  of  a  legislature  or 
convocation  to  meet  a  similar  committee  ap- 
pointed by  another  branch  of  a  legislature  or 
convocation   when  the  two  bodies  have   disa- 
greed.   At  the  conference,  there  is  examination 
and  discussion  of  the  points  of  difference  and 
an  effort  to  reach  an  agreement.    Each  confer- 
ence committee  is  composed  of  an  odd  number, 
and  the  majority  in  each  should  represent  the 
majority  of  the  appointing  body.     To  consti- 
tute an  agreement  authorizing  a  report  to  the 
two  bodies,  a  majority  of  each  constituent  com- 
mittee must  assent.     The  report  when  ready 
is  privileged  over  other  business. 

5.  A   Committee  of  the  Whole  is  the  as- 
sembly itself  in  another  form,  since  the  mem- 
bership is  identical,  and  the  same  number  is 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       53 

required  for  a  quorum.  It  has  another  presid- 
ing officer  named  by  the  Chair,  or  elected  by 
the  assembly  in  case  of  dispute  concerning  the 
selection  made  by  the  Chair. 

The  presiding  officer  of  the  assembly  may 
take  part  in  the  debate.  The  clerk  of  the  as- 
sembly acts  as  clerk  of  this  committee,  but 
keeps  no  record  of  its  proceedings  except  such 
temporary  memoranda  as  will  enable  him  to 
assist  the  chairman  in  the  orderly  conduct  of 
business.  The  report  which  the  committee 
makes  to  the  assembly  is  its  record,  and  be- 
comes part  of  the  record  of  the  assembly. 

In  Committee  of  the  Whole  each  member 
may  debate  as  often  as  he  can  get  the  floor; 
otherwise  the  rules  are  the  same  as  for  the 
assembly.  But  the  Committee  of  the  Whole 
cannot  adjourn,  cannot  lay  on  the  table,  can- 
not move  the  Previous  Question,  cannot  post- 
pone, and  cannot  refer  to  another  committee. 
The  only  motions  in  order  are  to  amend,  to 
adopt,  and  that  the  committee  rise  and  report. 
The  only  way  to  limit  debate  in  Committee  of 
the  Whole,  whether  in  regard  to  the  time  al- 
lowed to  each  speaker,  or  the  time  that  the 
committee  shall  have  for  debate,  is  by  the  order 
of  the  assembly.  The  Committee  of  the  Whole 
does  its  work  as  does  any  other  committee  and 
reports  to  the  assembly  through  its  chairman. 


54  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

In  Committee  of  the  Whole  the  yeas  and 
nays  cannot  be  called,  and  therefore  the  orig- 
inal purpose  of  the  committee  is  subserved  and 
the  doings  of  its  members  escape  the  notice  of 
the  public. 

The  Committee  has  no  power  to  punish  for 
disorder.  Any  disorderly  behavior  should  be 
reported  to  the  assembly  for  its  action. 

Instead  of  going  into  Committee  of  the 
Whole  it  is  sometimes  better  to  move  that  the 
question  be  considered  informally.  While  act- 
ing informally  each  member  can  speak  as  often 
as  he  can  get  the  floor  and  if  that  be  the  de- 
sired object  it  is  more  easily  attained  by  the 
latter  motion.  In  assemblies  not  legislative 
it  is  rarely  worth  while  to  go  into  Committee 
of  the  Whole. 

The  form  for  the  motion  is  "I  move  that\ 
this  assembly  now  resolve  itself  into  a  Com-  \ 
mittee  of  the  Whole  to  consider  the  question  ! 
of » 

THERE  ARE  POUR  WAYS  OP  FORMING 
COMMITTEES. 

1.  By  Appointment  by  the  Chair.  This  is 
a  speedy  way  of  creating  a  committee  and 
is  suitable  when  the  Chair  is  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  members  and  when  there 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       55 

is  no  fear  of  placing  too  great  power  in  the 
hands  of  the  Chair. 

The  form  of  this  motion  is,  "I  move  that  this 

question  be  referred  to  a  committee  of 

appointed  by  the  Chair." 

2.  By  Resolution  subject  to  amendment,  the 
resolution  naming  the  members. 

The  form  if  this  motion  is,  "I  move  to  refer 
this  question  to  a  committee  consisting  of 
Mr.  — ,  Mr.  — ,  and  Mrs.  — "  This  might  be 
amended  by  the  insertion  of  other  names,  or  by 
striking  out  and  inserting  names. 

3.  By  Nomination  from  the  Floor  and  vote, 
when  all  have  been  nominated.    In  nomination 
from  the  floor,  no  member  has  the  right  to 
nominate  more  than  one  person.     All  nomina- 
tions must  be  seconded.    Nominations  continue 
until  closed  by  general  consent,  or  by  majority 
vote.     When  the  nominations  are  closed,  the 
Chair  puts  the   names   to   vote   in   the   order 
in  which  they  were  proposed,  and  when  the 
number  mentioned  by  the  motion  have  been 
elected,  no  more  names  are  voted  upon.     The 
form  of  this  motion  is :  "I  move  that  this  ques- 
tion be  referred  to  a  committee  of 

nominated  from  the  floor  and  elected  by  ac- 
clamation." 

4.  By  Ballot,  which  is  taken  separately  for 
each  member,   or  by   a   single  ballot   for   the 


56       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

whole  committee.  This  method  takes  much 
time,  and  is  therefore  seldom  called  for,  but 
is  useful  in  the  choice  of  important  commit- 
tees. The  form  of  the  motion  is,  "I  move  to 
refer  the  question  to  a  committee  of  - 
elected  by  ballot,"  and  instruction  as  to  the 
method  of  nominating  may  be  inserted. 

COMMITTEES  AND  THEIR  WORK. 

Members  of  committees  should  represent  dif- 
ferent views  if  for  deliberation,  similar  views  if 
for  action.  Large  committees  arc  usually  best 
for  deliberation,  small  ones  for  action. 

A  committee  should  consist  of  an  odd  num- 
ber, so  that  a  majority  vote  may  be  easily  se- 
cured. A  committee  may  be  given  power  to 
add  to  its  own  number,  or  a  chairman  of  com- 
mittee may  be  empowered  to  create  the  com- 
mittee. 

A  committee  does  not  adjourn  at  the  close 
of  a  meeting;  the  committee  rises.  The  proper 
form  for  the  motion  is,  "I  move  that  this  com- 
mittee do  now  rise." 

A  committee  cannot  act  by  separate  assent, 
but  must  meet  in  conference.  If  all  members 
have  been  notified  of  the  meeting,  a  majority 
is  sufficient  for  the  transaction  of  business. 

Sub-committees    may    be    appointed    from 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  57 

among  the  members  of  a  committee,  to  report 
to  the  committee  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
committee  reports  to  the  assembly. 

It  is  customary  to  appoint  the  mover  and 
seconder  upon  the  committee,  but  this  is  not 
obligatory.  Fitness  is  the  sole  qualification 
demanded,  and  the  mover  may  be  less  fit  than 
some  other  member. 

Unless  the  committee  otherwise  directs,  its 
meetings  are  open  to  other  members. 

The  President  is  not  a  member  of  any  com- 
mittee unless  made  so  by  the  rule  of  the  as- 
sembly, or  by  special  appointment. 

The  number  in  the  committee,  and  the  kind 
of  committee,  need  not  be  decided  upon  until 
after  it  has  been  voted  to  refer  the  subject  to  a 
committee,  though  time  is  usually  saved  by  in- 
cluding in  the  motion  to  commit,  the  number 
in  the  committee,  the  manner  in  which  the  com- 
mittee shall  be  formed,  and  the  time  when  it 
shall  report.  In  case  of  need,  the  Chair  in- 
quires how  the  committee  shall  be  formed  and 
of  how  many  it  shall  consist. 

Members  who  are  absent,  or  who  cannot  be 
consulted,  should  not  be  nominated  or  appoint- 
ed to  a  committee;  and  members  who  cannot 
serve  should  decline  when  nominated,  or  imme- 
diately upon  appointment. 

The  motion  to  commit  may  be  thwarted  by 


58       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

being  amended  so  as  to  refer  to  a  Committee 
of  the  \VThol.\ 

When  different  committees  are  proposed  for 
reference,  they  should  be  voted  upon  in  the 
following  order:  1st.  Committee  of  the  Whole; 
2nd,  Standing  Committee;  3rd,  Special  Com- 
mittee. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  a  committee  it  elects 
its  Chairman  and  Secretary,  unless  the  assembly 
has  already  designated  these  officers.  Its  work 
is  to  carry  out  the  instruction  of  the  assembly, 
with  whatever  power  has  been  conferred  upon  it. 

The  chairman  of  the  committee  calls  the  meet- 
ings of  the  committee,  unless  the  time  and  place 
of  meeting  has  been  dictated  by  the  assembly. 
The  chairman  presides  at  the  committee  meet- 
ings, and,  unless  the  committee  orders  other- 
wise, makes  all  reports  to  the  assembly. 

The  secretary  of  the  committee  notifies  its 
members  of  meetings,  keeps  minutes  of  each 
meeting,  has  custody  of  all  papers  sent  to  the 
committee,  and  transmits  all  papers  to  the 
clerk  of  the  assembly  when  the  committee  ceases 
to  have  them  in  charge.  The  minutes  kept  are 
for  the  use  of  the  committee  alone. 

No  allusion  should  be  made  in  the  assembly 
to  what  has  occurred  in  committee,  except  it  be 
by  report  of  the  committee,  or  by  general  con- 
sent of  the  committee. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       59 

Procedure  in  committee  is  the  same  as  in  the 
assembly.  The  majority  of  the  members  de- 
termine the  report.  But  in  committee  meetings 
questions  are  usually  debated  informally,  and  in 
small  committees  members  do  not  rise  when 
addressing  the  chairman,  nor  when  seconding 
motions.  No  limit  is  placed  on  debate,  unless 
by  order  of  the  assembly. 

When  a  paper  is  referred  to  a  committee  the 
committee  should  not  interline,  disfigure,  nor 
tear  it  in  any  manner;  but  must  set  down  on  a 
separate  paper  the  amendments  agreed  upon  by 
the  committee,  stating  what  they  are  and  where 
they  have  been  made. 

When  a  paper  is  referred  to  a  committee, 
the  paper  is  first  read  through  to  the  com- 
mittee, and  then  read  by  paragraphs.  At  the 
close  of  each  paragraph  the  chairman  asks  if 
there  are  any  amendments,  and  puts  to  vote  the 
amendments  proposed,  but  does  not  call  for  a 
vote  on  the  whole  paper.  A  committee  cannot 
reject  a  paper,  but  must  report  it  back  either 
affirmatively  or  negatively. 

The  report  of  a  committee  must  be  signed 
by  all  members  who  concur  in  the  report. 

By  consent  of  the  assembly  a  minority  report 
may  be  received  by  it. 

If  a  report  be  in  writing,  a  copy  should  be 
laid  upon  the  clerk's  desk,  and  a  copy  should 
be  held  by  the  chairman  of  the  committee. 


60       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

The  work  of  the  committee  must  be  reported 
to  and  revised  by  the  assembly.  The  action  of 
the  committee  is  advisory  only.  The  committee 
has  no  more  power  than  is  conferred  upon  it 
by  the  assembly,  and  may  exercise  only  the 
functions  which  the  assembly  delegates  to  it. 
The  assembly  may  amend,  modify,  accept,  or 
reject  all,  or  any  part,  of  the  work  of  the  com- 
mittee. 

The  committee,  when  ready  to  report,  says, 
"Your  committee  is  now  ready  to  report."  The 
report  is  for  immediate  action,  unless  the  rules 
prescribe  otherwise.  The  Chair  may  say,  "If 
there  be  no  objection  the  report  will  now  be 
received." 

Any  member  may  raise  the  question  of  im- 
mediate consideration  of  a  report  demanding 
that  the  question  be  put  upon  the  reception  of 
the  report.  The  Chair  says,  "The  question  is 
upon  the  immediate  reception  of  the  report." 
If  negatived  the  committee  must  wait  until  a 
more  favorable  season. 

When  a  subject  has  been  referred  to  a  com- 
mittee that  reports  at  the  same  meeting,  the 
subject  stands  before  the  assembly  as  if  intro- 
duced for  the  first  time. 

The  report  of  a  committee  is  received  when 
it  is  read.  Hearing  the  report  is  receiving  it. 
If  the  report  be  at  all  lengthy  some  member 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  61 

should,  after  it  has  been  read  by  the  chairman 
of  the  committee,  move  that  the  report  be  con- 
sidered seriatim,  that  is,  section  by  section,  or 
paragraph  by  paragraph.  This  motion  being 
seconded,  put  to  vote,  and  carried,  the  clerk 
reads  the  report,  a  paragraph  or  section  at  a 
time,  and  each  section  may  in  its  order  be  de- 
bated and  amended;  but  no  vote  should  be  taken 
upon  the  separate  paragraphs. 

After  seriatim  consideration,  in  which  all 
amendments  offered  are  voted  upon  in  their 
order,  some  member  moves  that  the  amended 
report  be  adopted,  or  accepted,  and  after  debate 
the  vote  is  taken  upon  the  report  as  a  whole. 

The  preamble,  if  there  be  one,  should  be 
considered  last  and  should  be  separately  voted 
upon.  Seriatim  consideration  affords  two  op- 
portunities of  discussing  the  report,  once  under 
the  consideration  given  to  it  section  by  section, 
and  once  under  the  motion  to  adopt  the  re- 
port. 

The  member  presenting  the  report  is  first 
entitled  to  the  floor  in  debate,  and  has  also  the 
right  to  close  the  debate,  even  after  the  Pre- 
vious Question  is  ordered. 

A  report  given  simply  for  information  should 
not  be  adopted.  To  accept  or  adopt,  endorses 
the  report  and  commits  the  assembly  to  the 
statements  included  in  the  report. 


62  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

No  committee  is  discharged  after  completing 
its  work.  When  its  work  is  done,  its  existence 
ceases.  A  committee  which  does  not  perform 
its  work  may  be  discharged  and  a  new  com- 
mittee appointed. 

TO  POSTPONE  INDEFINITELY. 
F.  S,  D.  R. 

After  a  question  has  been  debated  there  are 
two  ways  of  suppressing  it,  one  by  voting  it 
down,  the  other  by  an  indefinite  postponement. 
Both  have  the  same  effect.  An  affirmative 
vote  on  the  motion  to  postpone  indefinitely 
has  the  same  effect  as  has  a  negative  vote  on 
the  main  question.  The  motion  is  used  by  the 
opponents  of  a  measure  when  doubtful  of  their 
own  strength,  because  if  defeated  on  this  mo- 
tion they  still  have  opportunity  for  a  further 
struggle  for  victory,  which  would  not  be  the 
case  if  they  were  defeated  in  the  vote  upon  the 
main  question. 

If  this  motion  is  decided  in  the  affirmative, 
the  main  question,  with  what  adheres  thereto, 
is  entirely  removed  from  before  the  assembly 
for  that  session ;  if  decided  in  the  negative,  the 
debate  proceeds  as  if  this  motion  had  not  been 
made. 

This  motion  ranks  with  the  motion  to  post- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       63 

pone  to  a  certain  time,  to. commit,  and  to  close 
debate,  and  above  the  motion  to  amend.  In 
some  legislative  bodies  it  ranks  below  the  mo- 
tion to  amend,  and  cannot  be  made  when  an 
amendment  is  pending. 

Ka._subsidiarv  motion,  except  the  Previous 
Question,  can  be  applied  to  it,  and  it  applies 
to  nothing  beside  the  main  question.  It  can- 
not be  amended  in  regard  to  time  as  that  would 
make  it  equivalent  to  a  motion  to  postpone  to 
a  certain  day,  and  that  has  a  different  purpose. 

It  is  eminently  debatable  and  opens  the 
whole  main  question  to  debate.  Any  motion 
that  has  the  effect  to  suppress  a  question  be- 
fore an  assembly  so  that  it  cannot  again  be 
taken  up  during  the  session  allows  free  debate; 
and  any  subsidiary  motion  is  debatable  to  just 
the  extent  that  it  interferes  with  the  right  of 
the  assembly  to  take  up  the  original  question 
at  its  pleasure.  For  instance,  on  a  motion  for 
indefinite  postponement  the  whole  question  is 
open  to  debate,  because  an  affirmative  vote 
will  remove  it  permanently  from  the  assembly. 
In  a  motion  for  postponement  to  a  certain  day, 
debate  is  limited  to  the  question  of  postpone- 
ment, because  there  will  be  further  opportunity 
to  debate  the  main  question  at  the  time  set. 
On  a  motion  to  commit,  debate  is  permitted, 
because  it  is  important  that  the  committee 


64       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

should  be  formed  and  instructed  by  the  assem- 
bly; but  debate  is  limited  to  the  motion  to 
commit,  because  future  occasion  is  provided  for 
debate  on  the  main  question  at  the  report  of 
the  committee.  A  motion  to  lay  on  the  table 
is  undebatable,  because  the  question  can  at  any 
time  be  taken  up  and  debated. 

It  thus  appears  that  the  amount  of  permis- 
sible debate  is  determined  by  the  degree  of 
danger  which  the  subsidiary  motion  presents 
to  the  main  question;  the  subsidiary  motion 
which,  if  carried,  would  kill  the  measure,  per- 
mits unlimited  debate  on  the  main  question 
itself,  while  the  subsidiary  motion  which  offers 
no  harm  to  the  main  question  is  wholly  unde- 
ba  table. 

The  enemies  of  a  measure  sometimes  move 
indefinite  postponement  in  order  to  ascertain, 
through  the  opposing  vote,  how  numerous  the 
friends  of  the  measure  may  be.  They  are  then 
better  prepared  to  adopt  tactics  that  may  over- 
throw their  opponents,  or  they  may  discreetly 
adjust  their  forces  on  the  popular  side. 

The  enemy  of  the  proposition  may  say,  "I 
move  the  indefinite  postponement  of  this  ques- 
tion." 

Tn  announcing  the  result  of  the  vote  the 
Chair  says,  "The  ayes  have  it,  and  the  ques- 
tion is  indefinitely  postponed,"  or  else  says, 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       65 

"The  noes  have  it,  and  the  question  is  before 
the  assembly  for  further  debate. v 

TO  AMEND. 
P.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

Every  assembly  has  an  indisputable  right  to 
alter  or  modify  any  proposition  laid  before  it. 
The  purpose  of  amendment  is  to  change  the 
proposition  so  that  it  will  more  perfectly  ex- 
press the  mind  of  the  majority. 

An  amendment  may  be  made  which  changes 
the  meaning  of  a  proposition,  but  none  can  be 
made  which  changes  the  subject.  The  censure 
of  an  individual  may  be  changed  to  an  expres- 
sion of  thanks  or  words  may  be  inserted  which 
will  secure  the  defeat  of  a  proposition  by  mak- 
ing it  absurd. 

When  a  proposition  is  not  well  expressed  or 
clearly  put  it  is  usually  better  to  refer  it  to  a 
committee  who  may  write  it  out  in  better  form. 
Motions  should  be  well  digested  and  clearly 
written  out  before  they  are  placed  before  an 
assembly. 

The  effect  of  an  amendment  is.  always  to 
modify  or  change  the  main  question. 

An  amendment  made  by  inserting  or  by  strik- 
ing out  the  word  not  is  not  permissible,  as  the 
end  would  be  reached  as  well  by  the  vote  alone. 


66       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

There  are  three  ways  of  amending  a  motion, 
resolution,  bill,  or  report.) 

1st.  By  striking  out  words.  The  form  is 
"I  move  to  strike — ."  Words  that  have  been 
stricken  out  cannot  be  again  inserted  except  it 
be  in  connection  with  other  words  that  change 
the  meaning  of  the  proposition. 

2d.  By  inserting  words.  The  form  is  "I 

move  to  insert "  Words  that  have  been 

inserted  cannot  be  stricken  out,  unless  other 
words  are  at  the  same  time  stricken  out  so  that 
there  is  a  change  of  meaning. 

3d.  By  striking  out  and  inserting.  The  mo- 
tion to  strike  out  and  insert  is  indivisible.  But 
the  words  proposed  to  be  inserted  need  not  be 
inserted  in  the  same  place  as  the  words  stricken 
out. 

Two  amendments  to  different  parts  of  the 
proposition  cannot  be  pending  at  the  same  time; 
but  any  number  of  amendments  may  be  made 
one  by  one.  Other  amendments  than  the  one 
to  the  original  proposition  must  be  confined  to 
that  one,  and  the  original  amendment  must  be 
disposed  of  before  another  amendment  to  the 
proposition  is  entertained. 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  67 

TO  AMEND  AN  AMENDMENT. 
P.  S.  D.  R. 

An  amendment  may  itself  be  amended,  and 
the  second  amendment  may  be  debated,  but 
cannot  be  amended.  Any  number  of  amend- 
ments may  be  made,  one  at  a  time,  to  an  amend- 
ment. The  amendment  to  the  amendment  ia 
treated  in  the  same  way  as  is  the  amendment 
to  the  original  proposition :  it  may  be  amended 
by  striking  out,  by  inserting,  or  by  striking  out 
and  inserting. 

When  there  is  an  amendment  to  an  amend- 
ment, the  amendment  to  the  amendment  is  first 
voted  upon,  and  afterward  the  amendment  as 
amended  is  voted  upon,  and  lastly,  after  all 
amendment  is  completed,  the  proposition  as 
amended  is  put  to  vote. 

When  an  amendment  by  striking  out  is  pro- 
posed, and  an  amendment  by  striking  out  is  of- 
fered as  an  amendment  to  that  amendment,  the 
intention  of  the  mover  of  the  amendment  to  the 
amendment  is  to  strike  out  from  the  original 
motion  less  than  the  proposed  amendment 
would  take  out.  For  instance  if  the  amendment 
proposes  to  strike  out  from  the  proposition  A- 
B-C-D-E-F  the  letters  B-C-D,  and  an  amend- 
ment to  this  amendment  proposes  to  strike  out 
in  the  amendment  the  letters  B-C,  then  if  the 


68       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

amendment  to  the  amendment  is  agreed  to, 
B-C  is  stricken  out  of  the  amendment,  and  D 
alone  remains  in  the  amendment.  If  this 
amendment  be  agreed  to,  then  the  amended 
proposition  would  be  A-B-C-E-F. 

When  an  amendment  by  striking  out  is  pro- 
posed, and  an  amendment  by  insertion  is 
offered  as  an  amendment  to  the  amendment, 
the  intention  of  the  mover  of  the  amendment 
to  the  amendment  is  to  strike  out  from  the 
original  motion  more  than  the  offered  amend- 
ment would  remove.  For  instance  if  from  the 
proposition  A-B-C-D-E-F  it  is  proposed  to 
strike  out  B-C-D  and  an  amendment  to  this 
amendment  proposes  to  insert  E-F,  then  if  the 
amendment  to  the  amendment  be  agreed  to, 
the  amendment  would  propose  to  strike  out 
B-0-D-E-F,  and  if  this  amendment  were  adopt- 
ed, only  A  would  remain  from  the  original  mo- 
tion. When  anything  is  inserted  in  an  amend- 
ment to  be  made  by  striking  out,  that  which  is 
inserted  is  always  taken  from  the  principal  mo- 
tion. 

An  amendment  made  by  striking  out  and  in- 
serting in  an  amendment  made  by  striking  out, 
restores  to  the  original  motion  something  which 
the  amendment  proposed  to  remove,  and  takes 
from  the  original  motion  something  which  the 
amendment  would  have  left  therein.  For  in- 
stance, if  the  amendment  proposes  to  strike  out 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       69 

B-C-D  from  the  proposition  A-B-C-D-E-F,  and 
the  amendment  to  the  amendment  proposes  to 
strike  out  B  and  insert  E,  agreement  to  the 
amendment  to  the  amendment  would  leave  the 
amendment  "to  strike  out  C-D-E,"  and  if  this 
were  agreed  to,  the  principal  motion  would  then 
stand  as  A-B-F.  In  this  case,  what  is  stricken 
out  from  the  amendment  goes  back  to  the  prin- 
cipal motion,  and  what  is  inserted  in  the  amend- 
ment disappears  from  the  principal  motion. 

If  the  main  question  were  A-B-C-D-E-F,  and 
an  amendment  proposed  to  insert  G,  an  amend- 
ment to  the  amendment,  proposing  to  strike  out 
G  and  insert  M  would  not  be  in  order,  because 
that  is  a  proposal  to  destroy  the  whole  of  the 
offered  amendment.  The  advocate  of  M  should 
debate  against  G,  urging  the  superiority  of  M, 
and  when  G  was  rejected,  move  a  new  amend- 
ment "to  insert  M." 

When  the  amendment  proposed  is  "by  insert- 
ing" alone,  that  which  is  inserted  comes  always 
from  outside  the  main  question.  To  strike  out 
in  an  amendment  &?/  inserting,  is  to  insert  less. 
If  the  main  question  were  A-B-C,  and  the 
amendment  called  for  the  insertion  of  E-F-G, 
and  the  amendment  were  amended  by  striking 
out  F-G,  the  amended  motion  would  be  A-B- 
C-E. 

If  the  principal  motion  were  A-B-C-D-E-F, 
and  an  ainendinent  proposed  to  strike  out  D- 


70       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

E-F  and  to  insert  G-H,  and  this  amendment 
were  amended  by  striking  out  D  and  amended 
again  by  inserting  I,  the  amended  motion  would 
be  A-B-C-D-G-H-L 

When  it  is  proposed  to  amend  by  striking  out 
certain  words  and  inserting  other  words  in 
either  portion  of  the  proposed  amendment,  the 
portion  proposed  for  striking  out,  or  the  por- 
tion proposed  for  inserting,  may  be  amended  by 
striking  out,  by  inserting,  or  by  striking  out  and 
inserting. 

In  the  proposition  A-B-C-D-E-F  it  is  pro- 
posed to  strike  out  A-B-C-D  and  to  insert  X- 
Y-Z.  The  portion  A-B-C-D  is  amended  by 
striking  out  A  and  inserting  E.  Then  the  por- 
tion X-Y-Z  is  amended  by  striking  out  X  and 
inserting  W.  Then  this  portion  is  further 
amended  by  striking  out  Z.  Then  the  first  por- 
tion is  further  amended  by  striking  out  C.  The 
amended  amendment  being  agreed  to,  the  main 
question  stands  A-C-F-W-Y. 

AMENDMENTS. 

A  proposition  may  be  rejected  after  amend- 
ment. Those  who  are  opposed  to  the  proposi- 
tion would  better  debate  and  vote  on  the  offered 
amendments,  if  there  be  a  probability  that  the 
principal  motion  may  be  carried.  The  objec- 
tionable features  of  an  objectionable  measure 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       71 

may  thus  be  reduced  to  the  smallest  possible 
dimensions. 

The  motion  to  amend  is  of  lowest  rank,  and 
gives  way  to  all  other  motions.  When  pend- 
ing, however,  it  is  not  cut  off  from  final  con- 
sideration by  any  other  motion.  A  motion  to 
commit,  if  adopted,  sends  pending  amendments 
as  well  as  the  main  question  to  the  committee; 
a  motion  to  lay  on  the  table,  or  to  postpone,  if 
agreed  to,  carries  all  pending  amendments  with 
the  main  question.  The  Previous  Question,  if 
ordered  to  the  main  question,  requires  pending 
amendments  to  be  first  voted  upon. 

No  undebatable  motion  can  be  amended  ex- 
cept the  privileged  motion  to  fix  the  time  to 
which  to  adjourn,  which  can  be  amended  only 
as  to  time;  the  motions  relating  to  method  of 
consideration,  which  can  be  amended  only  as  to 
method ;  and  the  motion  to  divide  the  question, 
which  can  be  amended  only  as  to  place  of  divi- 
sion. 

Among  the  subsidiary  motions,  the  motion  to 
amend  can  be  applied  only  to  the  motion  to 
postpone  to  a  certain  day,  which  can  be  amend- 
ed only  as  to  time;  to  the  motion  to  commit, 
which  can  be  amended  as  to  the  number  of  mem- 
bers in  the  committee,  the  mode  of  forming  the 
committee,  or  the  instructions  given  the  com- 
mittee; and  to  itself,  in  so  far  as  a  first  amend- 
ment can  be  itself  amended. 


72       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

None  of  the  other  subsidiary  motions,  except 
the  Previous  Question,  can  be  applied  solely 
to  the  motion  to  amend.  Any  other  subsidiary 
motion,  applied  when  an  amendment  is  pending, 
applies  to  the  main  question  as  well  as  to  the 
amendment. 

If  the  Previous  Question  is  adopted,  it  bears 
on  the  principal  motion  and  on  all  pending 
amendments,  unless  otherwise  specified  by  the 
mover  at  the  time  of  introducing  it. 

A  member  may  move  to  amend  his  own  mo- 
tion. 

After  the  question  has  been  stated,  the  mover 
may  accept  an  amendment,  if  there  be  no  ob- 
jection; but  if  objection  be  made,  a  majority 
vote  is  required. 

When  an  amendment  has  been  moved  and 
seconded,  the  chair  should  always  state  the 
question  distinctly,  so  that  every  member  may 
know  exactly  what  is  before  the  assembly.  The 
chair  should,  if  necessary,  first  read  the  para- 
graph which  it  is  proposed  to  amend,  then  the 
words  which  are  to  be  struck  out  or  inserted, 
and  finally  the  paragraph  as  it  will  stand  if  the 
amendment  is  adopted.  He  then  states  that 
"the  question  is  on  the  adoption  of  the  amend- 
ment." This  is  open  to  debate,  the  remarks  be- 
ing confined  to  the  merits  of  the  amendment. 
After  the  debate  the  chair  says,  "Will  the  as- 
sembly agree  to  the  amendment  ?  Those  agree- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       73 

ing  will  say  aye.  Those  opposed  will  say  no." 
The  result  of  the  vote  is  announced  by  saying: 
"The  ayes  have  it,  and  the  amendment  is 
agreed  to;"  or,  "The  noes  have  it,  and  the 
amendment  is  not  agreed  to." 

SUBSTITUTION. 

A  short  and  informal  method  of  striking  out 
and  inserting,  may  be  applied  to  whole  para- 
graphs or  bills.  The  mover  says,  "For  the  para- 
graph under  consideration  I  offer  the  follow- 
ing substitute,"  and  reads  a  new  paragraph  as 
a  substitute  for  the  old.  The  friends  of  the 
old  paragraph  have  a  right  to  perfect  it  by 
amendment  before  the  vote  is  put  for  the  adop- 
tion of  the  substitute,  and  the  friends  of  the 
new  paragraph  have  the  same  privilege  in  re- 
gard to  the  offered  substitute.  After  the  friends 
of  the  old  paragraph  have  completed  their  work, 
and  the  friends  of  the  new  paragraph  have 
perfected  theirs,  both  parties  having  the  assist- 
ance of  the  whole  assembly,  the  question  of  the 
acceptance  of  the  substitute  is  put  to  vote,  and 
if  the  substitute  be  accepted,  the  old  paragraph 
is  stricken  out  and  the  new  one  is  inserted. 

It  is  manifest  that  if  the  assembly  were 
obliged  to  accept  or  reject  the  substitute  imme- 
diately, it  would  have  to  choose  between  two 
paragraphs,  neither  of  which  might  be  fully 


74       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

acceptable.  One  of  the  two  paragraphs  would 
be  irrevocably  out  and  the  other  would  be  un- 
alterably in.  By  giving  opportunity  to  perfect 
each  by  amendment  before  making  a  final 
choice  between  them,  one  of  them  can  usually 
be  made  to  express  the  will  of  the  majority. 

But  if  the  assembly  approves  neither  the 
substitute  nor  the  original  paragraph,  it  rejects 
the  substitute  and  then  strikes  out  the  original 
paragraph. 

The  method  of  amendment  by  substitution 
is  much  used  in  legislative  assemblies.  After 
the  bill  has  been  perfected  by  amendments,  a 
member  moves  to  strike  out  all  after  the  enact- 
ing clause,  and  to  substitute  another  bill,  on  the 
same  subject.  If  the  enacting  clause  be  stricken 
out,  the  result  is  the  defeat  of  the  bill,  for  the 
result  of  the  amendment  is  to  deprive  the  bill 
of  that  which  makes  it  a  law. 

PILLING  OF  BLANKS. 

Sometimes  a  measure  is  presented  to  an  as- 
sembly with  blanks  to  be  filled  by  dates  or 
amounts.  Propositions  are  made  and  seconded 
for  the  filling  of  these  blanks,  and  these  propo- 
sitions are  not  treated  as  amendments,  but 
when  all  have  been  made  they  are  marshalled 
by  the  clerk  or  secretary  in  such  order  that  the 
largest  sum  or  the  longest  time  is  first  put  to 
vote,  and  then  if  this  proposal  be  rejected,  the 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       75 

next  largest  sum  or  next  longest  time  is  pnt  to 
vote,  and  so  on  until  the  blank  is  filled.  There 
may  be  debate  before  each  vote. 

When  a  blank  is  to  be  filled  by  a  name,  the 
clerk  or  secretary  records  the  names  in  the  order 
in  which  they  are  proposed.  The  Chair  then 
reads  all  the  names  and  puts  them  to  vote,  one 
by  one,  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  recorded, 
until  a  choice  is  made  by  a  majority  vote  of 
the  assembly. 

For  instance,  Mr.  A.  may  move  "that  the 

name  of  this  Club  be  changed  to "  When 

the  motion  has  been  seconded  and  stated,  the 
Chair  calls  for  names  to  fill  the  blank.  Those 
who  propose  names  rise  and  address  the  Chair, 
but  are  not  individually  named  because  the 
floor  has  already  been  given  to  the  assembly 
for  the  purpose  indicated.  No  member  may 
propose  more  than  one  name,  and  each  pro- 
posal should  be  seconded,  stated  by  the  Chair, 
and  recorded  by  the  secretary.  When  proposals 
cease,  or  are  closed  by  vote,  debate  may  be  had 
upon  each  name  before  the  vote  upon  it  is 
taken. 

By  the  filling  of  a  blank,  a  satisfactory  re- 
sult is  often  reached  more  quickly  than  would 
be  possible  by  amendments.  There  is  also  fuller 
opportunity  for  the  expression  of  the  sentiments 
of  the  members,  and  the  process  is  less  compli- 
cated. 


76       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

RECAPITULATION  OP  RANK  IN  SUB- 
SIDIARY  MOTIONS. 

1 — Question  of  Consideration,  I.  %  R. 
2— To  lay  on  the  table,  F.  S.  E.— ? 

The  Previous  Question,  F.  S.  %  R. 

To  postpone  to  a  certain  day,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R. 
3      To  commit,  recommit  or  refer,  F.  S.  D. 
A.  R. 

To  postpone  indefinitely,  P.  S.  D.  R. 
4— To  amend,  F.  S.  D.  A.  R. 

The  seven  subsidiary  motions  have  in  their 
relation  to  each  other  a  respective  rank,  the 
question  of  consideration  being  highest,  and 
the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  coming  next  it. 
Then  there  are  four  of  the  same  rank,  the  Pre- 
vious Question,  postponement  to  a  certain  time, 
reference  to  a  committee,  and  indefinite  post- 
ponement, all  being  of  the  third  rank.  The 
lowest  in  rank  is  the  motion  to  amend. 

We  will  give  titles  to  these  seven  motions, 
and  call  the  question  of  consideration  the 
Queen;  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  the 
Princess;  the  four  motions — to  close  debate,  to 
postpone  to  a  certain  time,  to  refer  to  a  com- 
mittee, and  to  postpone  indefinitely— all 
Duchesses;  and  the  motion  to  amend  will  be 
the  Countess.  If  the  Queen  is  about  to  enter 
a  room,  or  signifies  her  intention  of  so  doing, 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  77 

no  lady  of  lower  rank  should  attempt  to  pass 
before  her.  So,  if  the  question  of  considera- 
tion is  raised,  no  question  of  lower  rank  is  in 
order  until  the  question  of  consideration  shall 
have  been  disposed  of.  If  one  of  the  Duchesses 
were  entering  a  room,  she  would  yield  the  way 
to  the  Queen  or  the  Princess;  but  no  other 
Duchess  should  try  to  precede  her  So  any  of 
the  questions  of  the  third  rank  yield  to  the 
two  of  higher  rank;  while  among  themselves 
the  first  moved  must  be  disposed  of  before  any 
of  the  other  three  is  in  order.  The  Countess 
being  of  the  lowest  rank,  would  yield  the  way 
to  any  or  all  of  the  other  six  ladies.  So  the 
motion  to  amend  yields  precedence  to  any  of 
the  six  motions  having  higher  rank  than  itself. 

The  general  rule  is  that  motions  of  lower 
rank  yield  to  those  of  higher  rank,  and  that 
those  having  higher  rank  at  once  supersede 
those  of  lower  rank,  while  among  those  of  the 
same  rank,  the  one  first  raised  must  be  voted 
upon  before  another  should  be  moved.  To  this 
general  rule  there  are  no  exceptions  among  the 
subsidiary  motions  in  their  relation  to  each 
other. 

Any  motion  that  is  in  order  when  made,  un- 
less superseded  by  a  motion  of  higher  rank, 
must  sooner  or  later  be  stated  by  the  Chair  and 
receive  the  attention  of  the  assembly,  but  a 


78       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

motion  not  in  order  when  made  has  to  be  re- 
newed if  it  be  considered  at  all. 

If  Mrs.  A.  moves  to  amend,  and  is  seconded, 
and  Mrs.  B.  moves  to  postpone  to  a  certain  time 
and  is  seconded,  and  Mrs.  C.  moves  to  lay  on 
the  table  and  is  seconded,  the  Chair  first  states 
the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table,  because  it  is  of 
highest  rank.  If  the  vote  upon  it  be  negative, 
the  Chair  then  states  the  motion  to  postpone, 
and  if  this  be  negatively  decided,  the  Chair 
next  states  the  motion  to  amend. 

If  Mrs.  E.  then  .moves  to  postpone  indef- 
initely and  is  seconded,  and  Mrs.  F.  raises  the 
question  of  consideration,  the  Chair  would  pro- 
nounce Mrs.  F.'s  motion  out  of  order,  because 
of  subsidiary  motions  having  already  been  ap- 
plied to  the  main  question,  would  state  the  mo- 
tion for  indefinite  postponement,  and  if  this 
motion  were  negatively  settled,  would  call  for 
debate  on  the  offered  amendment. 


Privileged  Questions. 

PRIVILEGED  MOTIONS: 

1 — To  fix  a  time  to  which  to  adjourn,  S.  A. 

E. 

2 — To  adjourn,  S. 
3 — To  take  the  recess,  S. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.  79 

QUESTIONS  OF  PRIVILEGE  : 

4 — Concerning  the  assembly,  I. —  (F.  S.  D. 

A.  E.) 
5 — Concerning  a  member,  I. — (F.  S.  D.  A. 

R.) 

Privileged  Questions  do  not  concern  them- 
selves with  the  progress  of  the  main  question, 
but  with  the  existence  of  the  assembly,  the  per- 
formance of  its  functions  and  its  general  well- 
being.  Their  only  immediate  relation  to  the 
main  question  is  that  of  delaying  it  by  taking 
up  the  time.  Yet  these  questions,  which  do  not 
concern  the  immediate  business  of  the  assem- 
bly, have  precedence  over  the  main  question 
and  over  most  subsidiary  and  incidental  ques- 
tions pertaining  to  it. 

The  essential  characteristic  of  privileged 
questions  is  that  they  interrupt  the  business 
before  the  assembly.  If  such  a  question  were 
introduced  when  no  business  was  before  the 
house,  it  would  be,  not  a  privileged,  but  a  main 
question,  and  would  be  so  treated.  They  are 
termed  privileged  because  they  may  interrupt 
business. 

Privileged  Motions. 

Three  of  these  privileged  questions  are  called 
Privileged  Motions,  because  the  mover,  when 
introducing  them,  begins  with  the  words  "I 


80  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

move."  These  motions  cannot  interrupt  a  mem- 
ber who  has  the  floor;  but  they  are  introduced 
without  getting  the  floor.  They  require  a  sec- 
onder. Kone  of  them  can  be  debated,  because 
high  privilege  is  inconsistent  with  debate. 

1— To  Fix  the  Time  to  Which  to  Adjourn. 
S.  A.  R. 

This  motion  has  the  right  to  interrupt  busi- 
ness only  when  no  time  for  the  next  meeting 
has  been  fixed.  The  purpose  and  effect  of  the 
motion  is  to  fix  the  time  for  the  next  meeting. 
This  is  often  necessary  to  the  interest  of  the 
business  before  the  assembly,  because  commit- 
tees may  need  to  be  appointed  with  instruction 
when  to  report,  or  questions  may  require  post- 
ponement to  a  later  period. 

Moreover,  when  an  assembly  adjourns  with 
no  time  fixed  for  its  next  meeting,  such  ad- 
journment is  equivalent  to  a  dissolution.  In 
fact,  to  adjourn  sine  die,  without  day,  is  to  dis- 
solve the  assembly. 

This  motion  is  among  all  motions  the  high- 
est in  rank,  because  of  its  function  in  preserv- 
ing the  existence  of  the  assembly  as  such.  It 
may  be  made  even  after  the  vote  has  been  taken 
on  the  motion  to  adjourn,  provided  that  the 
vote  has  not  yet  been  announced  by  the  Chair. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       81 

The  proper  form  of  the  motion  is,  "I  move 
that  when  we  adjourn,  we  adjourn  to  meet" 
— Thursday,  October  19th,  at  two  o'clock. 

It  is  usually  better  to  introduce  the  motion 
fixing  the  time  of  the  next  meeting,  not  as  a 
privileged  motion,  when  it  cannot  be  debated, 
but  as  a  main  question  open  to  debate. 

As  a  privileged  motion  this  motion  can  be 
amended  only  as  to  time. 

The  vote  on  the  motion  fixing  the  time  of 
the  next  meeting  can  be  reconsidered. 

This  motion  takes  precedence  over  the  mo- 
tion to  adjourn,  but  has  no  priority  over  a  mo- 
tion for  recess,  if  the  motion  for  recess  is  al- 
ready pending. 

The  motion  may  be  legally  decided  when  less 
than  a  quorum  is  present. 

2-TO  ADJOURN. 


To  adjourn  implies  an  intermission  of  busi- 
ness, the  date  for  the  next  meeting  having  been 
fixed.  To  adjourn  with  no  time  fixed  for  the 
next  meeting  is  to  dissolve  the  assembly,  and 
the  Chair  snouid  not  entertain  the  motion  as  a 
privileged  one.  A  motion  to  dissolve  the  as* 
sembly  would  not  be  privileged,  and  would  be 
debatable.  The  meaning,  the  effective  signifi- 


82       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

cance,  of  a  motion  must  always  be  considered, 
rather  than  its  mere  wording.  When  a  motion 
is  not  properly  framed,  the  Chair  may  so  state 
it  as  to  properly  classify  it  under  one  of  the 
established  headings.  If  a  member  moves  "to 
adjourn  till  next  Monday,  at  one  o'clock,"  the 
Chair  may  state  the  motion  in  its  proper  form, 
"that  when  we  adjourn  we  adjourn  to  meet 
next  Monday  at  one  o'clock.'  After  this  motion 
is  disposed  of  the  motion  to  adjourn  might  be 
in  order. 

An  adjourned  meeting  is  a  legal  continua- 
tion of  a  former  one.  The  same  business  is 
taken  up  according  to  the  orders  of  the  day, 
or  the  order  of  business. 

No  subsidiary  motion  can  be  applied  to  this 
motion  if  it  be  privileged.  It  is  decided  by  a 
majority  of  the  members  present,  and  does  not 
require  a  quorum  for  its  decision. 

There  is  an  old  parliamentary  saying,  "The 
r'  motion  to  adjourn  is  always  in  order/  This 
good  rule  is  true  with  some  exceptions;  it  is 
not  in  order  to  move  to  adjourn  when  a  speaker 
has  the  floor,  nor  when  the  Question  of  Consid- 
eration or  the  Previous  Question  is  pending, 
nor  when  a  vote  is  being  taken.  This  motion 
may,  however,  be  made  between  the  taking  of 
the^  vote  and  the  announcing  of  the  result. 
Much  time  is  often  consumed  in  the  counting 
of  ballots  after  a  vote,  and  it  is  therefore  most 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       83 

convenient  to  adjourn  the  meeting  and  an- 
nounce the  result  of  the  vote  when  business  is 
resumed  at  the  next  meeting. 

The  motion  to  adjourn  may  also  be  made 
after  the  Previous  Question  is  ordered  and  be- 
fore the  main  question  is  put  to  vote.  The  de- 
lay in  voting  on  the  main  question  may  furnish 
opportunity  for  its  private  discussion,  and  it 
can  be  voted  upon  at  the  next  meeting. 

When  the  assembly  adjourns  with  business 
undisposed  of  by  vote,  the  question  under  con- 
sideration comes  up  at  the  next  meeting  as  un- 
finished business.  The  effect  of  adjournment 
is  simply  to  suspend  till  the  next  meeting  any 
question  before  the  assembly  at  the  time  when 
it  adjourns. 

If  a  member  yield  the  floor  to  a  motion  to 
adjourn,  he  is  entitled  to  resume  it  at  the  next 
meeting,  when  the  subject  again  comes  before 
the  assembly,  and  the  same  is  true  of  a  motion 
to  take  a  recess.  He  has  the  right  to  yield  for 
these  motions,  because  they  are  motions  affect- 
ing only  the  sittings  of  the  body. 

The  motion  to  adjourn  gives  way  to  no  other 
except  that  of  fixing  the  time  to  which  to  ad- 
journ. If  the  motion  to  take  a  recess  is  already 
pending,  the  motion  to  adjourn  has  no  prioirty 
over  it,  and  would  be  out  of  order. 

In  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  this  motion 
yields,  by  special  rule,  to  a  Conference  Report. 


84  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

If  the  motion  to  adjourn  is  qualified  in  any 
way,  it  cannot  be  introduced  as  a  privileged 
motion  .  It  thereby  loses  its  privileged  char- 
acter and  is  treated  like  any  other  principal 
motion.  For  instance,  UI  move  that  we  do 
now  adjourn  to  meet  at  the  home  of  the  Presi- 
dent at  three  o'clock"  could  not  be  introduced 
as  a  privileged  motion,  but  would  be  in  order 
only  when  no  business  was  before  the  assembly. 

No  question  of  order  nor  any  appeal  should 
be  entertained  after  the  motion  to  adjourn  has 
been  made,  unless  the  assembly  refuses  to  ad- 
journ. 

The  motion  to  adjourn  cannot  be  renewed 
until  some  business  has  intervened;  but  the 
business  may  be  only  progress  in  debate. 

The  form  is,  "I  move  that  we  do  now  ad- 
journ/' No  meeting  is  properly  adjourned  un- 
til the  vote  on  adjournment  is  taken,  and  the 
result  announced  by  the  Chair.  But  when  the 
time  for  adjournment  is  fixed  by  a  rule,  the 
Chair  may  take  the  vote  by  general  consent, 
saying,  "The  time  for  adjournment  having  ar- 
rived, if  there  be  no  further  business,  the  meet- 
ing stands  adjourned/' 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       85 

3— TO  TAKE  THE  RECESS. 
8. 

A  recess  is  a  suspension  of  business  for  a 
limited  time.  The  motion  for  recess  is  priv- 
ileged only  when  the  time  for  the  recess  has 
been  fixed  by  a  special  rule,  an  order,  or  a  by- 
law. 

As  a  privileged  motion,  it  can  be  neither 
debated  nor  amended.  It  cannot  be  reconsid- 
ered, but  it  may  be  renewed  after  further  busi- 
ness has  been  transacted. 

The  form  is,  "I  move  that  the  assembly  now 
take  its  recess." 

When  a  recess  has  been  ordered  to  begin  at 
a  certain  time,  a  motion  to  adjourn  before  that 
time  carries  the  assembly  to  the  next  regular 
meeting. 

A  motion  for  a  recess  not  fixed  by  law  or  a 
rule  can  be  introduced  as  a  main  question,  and 
as  such  is  debatable  and  amendable. 

The  motion  might  also  be  introduced,  on 
permission,  as  a  question  of  privilege.  The 
time  consumed  in  the  counting  of  ballots,  as 
at  an  annual  election,  may  thus  be  taken  for  a 
recess,  and  the  result  of  the  vote  announced 
when  business  is  resumed.  In  such  case  the 
motion  might  be  made  in  the  following  form: 
"I  move  that  we  now  take  a  recess,  to  meet  at 


86       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

the  call  of  the  Chair";  or,  "I  move  that  this 
assembly  do  now  take  a  recess  of  ten  minutes." 

QUESTIONS  OP  PRIVILEGE. 
L-(F.  S.  D.  A.  B.) 

They  are  of  two  sorts,  those  concerning  the 
assembly  and  those  concerning  a  member.  The 
former  have  precedence  over  the  latter,  because 
the  whole  is  more  important  than  a  part.  The 
two  sorts  of  questions  receive  similar  treatment 
when  once  admitted. 

Questions  of  privilege  of  the  first  class  are 
those  affecting  the  safety  or  the  dignity  of  the 
assembly  or  the  integrity  of  its  proceedings; 
while  those  of  the  second  class  affect  the  rights, 
reputation,  or  conduct  of  members  individually 
in  their  representative  capacity.  Examples  of 
the  first  class  are  a  fire  in  the  building,  tele- 
grams or  messages  requiring  immediate  re- 
sponse, divulging  the  secrets  of  the  society,  tam- 
pering with  the  records,  etc.  Examples  of  the 
second  class  are  an  offer  to  bribe  a  member, 
threats  used  toward  a  member  by  a  witness, 
a  quarrel  between  members,  etc. 

Either  of  the  questions  of  privilege  may  in- 
terrupt a  speaker  who  has  the  floor;  may  be 
raised  without  getting  the  floor,  and  requires 
no  seconder. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       87 

Questions  of  privilege  are  first  addressed  to 
the  presiding  officer,  who  decides  whether  the 
question  raised  be  one  of  privilege,,  that  is, 
whether  it  has  a  right  to  interrupt  the  business 
before  the  house.  As  soon  as  the  Chair  has 
mentally  decided  the  point,  he  makes  a  ruling, 
either  that  the  question  raised  is  or  is  not  one 
of  privilege.  If  the  Chair  rules  that  the  ques- 
tion is  not  privileged,  and  there  be  no  appeal 
from  this  ruling,  then  the  business  before  the 
house  proceeds.  If  he  rules  that  the  question  is 
privileged,  and  this  ruling  is  not  appealed 
from,  then  it  is  for  the  assembly  to  take  action, 
by  motion  and  vote,  upon  the  question  of  privi- 
lege. Whenever  a  question  is  decided  to  be 
one  of  privilege,  that  question  supersedes  the 
main  question  for  the  time  being,  and  is  first 
acted  upon,  and  afterward  the  business  inter- 
rupted by  it  is  resumed.  A  question  of  privi- 
lege having  been  admitted,  is  treated  in  every 
respect  like  a  main  question,  and  may  have  sub- 
sidiary and  incidental  motions  applied  to  it. 
Final  action  need  not,  therefore,  be  taken  upon 
it  at  the  time  when  it  is  raised.  It  may  be  laid 
on  the  table,  postponed  to  another  time,  referred 
to  a  committee,  postponed  indefinitely  or 
amended.  It  may  be  itself  interrupted  by  a 
motion  of  higher  rank.  The  vote  on  it  can  be 
reconsidered. 

A  member  who  desires  to  introduce  a  ques- 


88       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

tion  of  privilege  rises,  addresses  the  Chair,  and 
says,  "I  rise  to  a  question  of  privilege  concern- 
ing the  assembly/'  or,  "I  rise  to  a  question  of 
privilege  concerning  a  member,"  or,  "I  rise  to 
a  question  of  personal  privilege."  The  Chair 
responds:  "State  your  question,"  or,  "The 
member  will  state  the  question  of  privilege." 
After  statement,  the  Chair  rules,  saying,  "The 
question  is  one  of  privilege,"  or,  "The  ques- 
tion is  not  one  of  privilege,"  meaning  that  it 
may  or  may  not  interrupt  the  business  before 
the  assembly.  If  the  decision  of  the  Chair  is 
not  accepted,  the  member  who  raised  the  ques- 
tion, or  any  other  member,  may  rise  and  say, 
"I  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  Chair." 
This  appeal  is  made  to  the  assembly,  and  the 
assembly  has  always  the  right  of  reversing  or 
of  confirming  the  ruling  of  the  Chair,  as  de- 
scribed under  APPEAL. 

The  Chair  may  introduce  a  question  of  privi- 
lege. 

Questions  of  privilege  outrank  all  motions 
except  the  three  privileged  motions  and  the 
motion  to  reconsider. 

When  a  question  of  physical  safety  or  of 
humanity  is  involved,  the  Chair  may  assume 
the  consent  of  the  assembly  and  direct  imme- 
diate action.  But  the  assumption  may  after- 
ward be  the  subject  of  action  by  the  assembly. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       89 


INCIDENTAL  QUESTIONS. 

1 — Questions  of  order,  I.  R. 
Beading  of  papers,  F.  S.  R. 
Withdrawal  of  motion,  F.  S.  R. 
Suspension  of  rules,  F.  S.  2-3. 
Division  of  question,  F.  S.  A.  R. 
Method  of  consideration,  F.  S.  A.  R. 

Incidental  questions  arise  out  of  the  main 
question,  subsidiary  questions,  or  privileged 
questions.  They  are  always  decided,  without 
debate,  before  further  action  is  taken  upon  the 
question  out  of  which  the  incidental  question 
arose. 

Incidental  questions  have  precedence  of 
other  questions  in  the  sense  that  they  are  de- 
cided before  the  question  giving  rise  to  them. 

With  the  exception  of  a  point  of  order, 
which  outranks  all  the  others,  they  are  of  the 
same  rank  among  themselves,  and  when  one 
has  arisen  it  must  be  voted  upon  before  an- 
other can  be  put. 

These  questions  can  be  entertained  only 
when  immediately  applicable  to  the  question 
then  under  consideration,  and  they  may,  when 
applicable,  interrupt  the  consideration  of 
either  a  main,  a  subsidiary,  or  a  privileged 
question. 

For  all  incidental  questions,  except  a  point 


90  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

of  order,  the  floor  must  be  obtained,  and  a 
seconder  is  required.  None  is  amendable  ex- 
cept the  motion  to  divide  a  question,  and  a  mo- 
tion as  to  method  of  consideration;  and  no 
other  subsidiary  motion  can  be  applied  to  any 
of  them.  All  are  carried  by  majority  vote,  ex- 
cept the  motion  to  suspend  the  rules.  The  vote 
on  all  except  on  the  motion  to  suspend  the 
rules,  may  be  reconsidered. 

QUESTIONS  OF  ORDER. 
I.  R. 

Order  means  conformity  to  parliamentary 
usages,  to  the  standing  rules  of  the  assembly, 
and  to  all  its  previous  decisions.  The  assembly, 
and  each  member  of  it,  is  entitled  to  have  its 
business  proceed  in  order.  If  the  Chair  allows 
the  assembly  to  depart  from  order,  any  member 
has  the  right  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  and 
to  secure  a  return  to  the  correct  way.  A 
speaker  having  the  floor  may  be  interrupted  for 
this  object. 

A  point  of  order  must  be  raised  at  once  or 
it  is  deemed  to  be  waived.  It  has  no  standing 
except  at  the  time  when  the  established  law 
is  departed  from,  and  before  any  other  business 
has  intervened.  If  there  be  much  confusion, 
rising  and  endeavoring  to  make  the  point  of 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       91 

order  secures  the  right  to  call  attention  to  it 
later. 

The  question  of  order  is  always  paramount 
and  dominates  every  other  question,  main,  sub- 
sidiary, privileged  or  incidental.  It  cannot  how- 
ever, supersede  the  motion  to  adjourn,  if  that 
motion  is  already  made  and  if  it  were  in  order 
when  made. 

The  member  who  calls  attention  to  a  de- 
parture from  the  rules,  rises  in  his  place,  and 
without  getting  the  floor  adresses  the  Chair, 
saying,  "I  rise  to  a  point  of  order."  The  Chair 
responds,  "State  the  point  of  order,"  "or,  "The 
gentleman  will  state  his  point  of  order."  The 
statement  is  then  made,  and  the  Chair  there- 
upon says,  either,  "The  point  of  order  is  well 
taken,"  or,  "The  point  of  order  is  not  well  tak- 
en." If  the  member  is  content  with  the  deci- 
sion of  the  Chair  he  resumes  his  seat.  If  the 
point  of  order  is  sustained,  the  action  of  the  as- 
sembly is  made  to  conform  thereto.  If  it  is  not 
sustained  the  proceedings  continue  unchanged. 

If  any  member  is  dissatisfied  with  the  deci- 
sion of  the  Chair  he  may  appeal  from  its  ruling, 
and  the  appeal  then  becomes  temporarily  the 
question  before  the  assembly  and  is  decided  by 
the  majority  vote  of  the  assembly  as  set  forth 
under  the  rules  relating  to  appeal  from  the  rul- 
ing of  the  Chair.  This  appeal  is  debatable. 

The  Chair  may  ask  the  advice  of  members 


92  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

upon  points  of  order,  but  the  advice  must  be 
given  while  sitting,  in  order  to  avoid  the  ap- 
pearance of  debate. 

The  Chair,  when  unable  to  decide  a  question 
of  order,  may  at  once  submit  it  to  the  vote  of 
the  assembly. 

A  member  may  be  called  to  order  by  the  Chair 
or  by  another  member.  It  is  a  breach  of  order 
to  call  for  the  question,  or  to  move  an  adjourn- 
ment, when  a  speaker  has  the  floor;  to  pass  be- 
tween the  speaker  and  the  Chair ;  to  in  any  way 
distract  attention  from  the  business  of  the  as- 
sembly; or  to  use  disrespectful  or  offensive  lan- 
guage in  debate. 

When  a  member  is  called  to  order  for 
unparliamentary  language  used  in  debate 
the  member  called  to  order  must  sit 
down,  and  the  assembly  having  heard 
the  words  complained  of,  acts  upon  the  case. 
The  member  may  first  be  heard  in  explanation, 
and  if  proper  explanation  or  apology  be  made, 
there  is  usually  a  motion  that  the  member  be 
allowed  to  continue  his  speech.  This  motion  is 
undebatable,  and  is  carried  by  a  majority  vote. 

If  the  member  denies  having  used  the  words 
complained  of,  the  assembly  must  first  consider 
the  evidence  offered.  If  the  member  who  called 
the  speaker  to  order  demanded  that  his  words 
be  taken  down,  and  the  presiding  officer  so  di- 
rected, the  minutes  may  be  used  in  evidence. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       93 

The  action  taken  may  be  in  the  nature  of  a 
punishment,  in  which  case  the  offending  mem- 
ber or  members  should  withdraw  while  action 
is  taken.  The  only  punishment  which  the  as- 
sembly can  inflict  for  disorder,  or  breach  of 
decorum,  is  censure  or  expulsion.  The  House 
of  Kepresentatives  can  imprison. 

The  action  of  the  assembly  may  be  deter- 
mined by  a  majority  vote,  upon  a  debatable  mo- 
tion, to  censure,  to  reprimand,  or  to  demand  an 
apology  or  a  retraction  upon  pain  of  expulsion. 

A  call  for  the  order  or  orders  of  the  day  is 
a  demand  for  compliance  with  an  order.  When 
an  assembly  has  decided  that  a  question  shall  be 
taken  up  at  a  particular  time,  thus  making  it 
an  order  of  the  day,  in  case  it  is  not  at  that  time 
brought  forward  by  the  Chair,  any  member  may 
call  for  it,  and  the  Chair  must  put  the  question 
to  vote,  saying,  "Will  the  assembly  now  proceed 
to  the  orders  of  the  day  ?"  If  carried,  the  sub- 
ject under  consideration  when  the  call  was  made 
is  laid  aside,  and  the  questions  appointed  for 
the  time  are  taken  up  in  their  order,  as  ex- 
plained under  the  motion  to  postpone  to  a  cer- 
tain time. 


94       PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

READING  OF  PAPERS. 
F.  S.  R. 

Whenever  an  assembly  has  to  take  final  action 
upon  a  paper,  any  member  may  demand  that 
the  paper  shall  be  once  read,  in  order  that  the 
assembly  may  know  what  it  is  voting  upon ;  but 
any  paper  upon  which  the  assembly  is  not  to 
act  can  be  read  only  by  its  consent.  Papers 
offered  solely  for  reference  cannot  be  read  ex- 
cept by  order  of  the  house. 

Whenever  a  member  asks  for  the  reading  of 
any  paper,  evidently  for  the  purpose  of  informa- 
tion and  not  for  delay,  the  Chair  may  direct  the 
paper  to  be  read  if  there  be  no  objection,  and 
the  clerk  may  read  it.  If  any  member  objects 
to  the  reading,  the  question  is  put  to  vote  with- 
out debate  or  amendment. 

When  papers  are  referred  to  a  committee  im- 
mediately upon  presentation,  they  are  usually 
not  read  in  the  assembly,  though  any  member 
may  insist  on  one  reading. 

A  member  may  not,  without  permission,  read 
his  own  speech  in  debate. 

A  request  for  permission  to  read  a  paper  in 
debate  has  no  rank  above  debate  itself. 

In  requesting  the  permission  of  the  assembly 
for  the  reading  of  a  paper  in  debate,  it  is  usually 
well  to  mention  the  time  required  for  reading 
and  the  person  by  whom  the  paper  is  to  be  read. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       95 

WITHDRAWAL  OF  A  MOTION. 
P.  S.  R. 

After  a  motion  is  stated  by  the  Chair,  it  be- 
longs wholly  to  the  assembly,  and  the  mover 
has  no  more  power  over  it  than  has  any  other 
member,  except  that  he  alone  may  ask  the  con- 
sent of  the  assembly  to  withdraw  it. 

Up  to  the  time  of  statement  by  the  Chair  the 
mover  may  withdraw  or  modify  the  motion.  If 
it  be  changed  after  being  seconded  and  before 
being  stated,  the  seconder  can  withdraw  the 
seconding. 

After  statement  by  the  Chair  the  motion  can 
be  withdrawn  by  no  one  but  the  mover,  and  in 
no  way  but  by  the  consent  of  the  assembly.  In 
the  withdrawal  the  seconder  need  not  be  re- 
ferred to. 

When  a  motion  is  withdrawn,  the  effect  is  to 
remove  it  from  consideration.  It  has  not  been 
acted  upon,  and  it  can  therefore  be  renewed  at 
any  later  time.  It  need  not  be  entered  in  the 
minutes,  because  it  does  not  influence  future 
action  in  the  assembly. 

The  mover,  desiring  to  withdraw  his  motion, 
says,  "I  ask  the  consent  of  the  assembly  to  with- 
draw the  motion."  This  is  seconded,  and  the 
Chair  says,  "The  consent  of  the  assembly  is 
asked  for  the  withdrawal  of  the  motion.  Those 


96  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

consenting  will  say  aye.  Those  opposed  will 
say  no."  The  Chair  announces  the  result  of  the 
vote,  saying,  "The  ayes  have  it,  and  consent  is 
given/'  or,  "The  noes  have  it,  and  consent  is 
withheld."  If  consent  is  given  the  mover  then 
says,  "I  withdraw  the  motion." 

An  affirmative  vote  can  be  reconsidered,  but 
not  after  the  member  has  withdrawn  the  mo- 
tion. A  negative  vote  can  be  reconsidered. 

SUSPENSION  OF  RULES. 
P.  S.  2-3. 

Parliamentary  law  governs,  except  when  its 
provisions  are  changed  by  the  special  rules  of 
the  assembly.  These  special  rules  may  provide 
for  their  own  suspension,  and  may  demand 
therefor  a  majority,  a  two-thirds,  or  a  unani- 
mous vote.  Having  been  made  with  delibera- 
tion, it  is  unwise  to  suspend  them  on  less  than 
a  two-thirds  vote,  and  if  they  do  not  provide 
for  their  own  suspension  they  should  be  sus- 
pended only  by  unanimous  consent. 

The  Constitution  or  the  By-laws  may  be 
amended  by  regular  methods  prescribed  by 
themselves,  and  all  special  rules  may  be  changed 
by  majority  vote. 

"  The    Constitution   and   By-laws   cannot   be 
suspended;  the  special  rules  may  be  suspended 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       97 

at  any  time  by  the  required  vote.  When  sus- 
pended they  resume  sway  as  soon  as  the  special 
occasion  for  their  suspension  has  passed,  and 
they  cannot  be  twice  suspended  for  the  same 
purpose  at  the  same  meeting 

A  motion  to  suspend  a  special  rule  outranks 
the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  and  may  super- 
sede it  when  immediately  applicable. 

The  vote  upon  it  cannot  be  reconsidered. 

The  motions  to  extend  or  to  limit  debate 
where  the  rules  fix  the  time,  is  a  motion  to  this 
effect.  The  following  are  also  examples  of  mo- 
tions to  suspend  the  rules.  "I  move  to  sus- 
pend the  rule  limiting  debate  to  ten  minutes/' 
"I  move  the  suspension  of  the  rule  interfering 
with  the  continuance  of  debate  beyond  ten 
o'clock."  "I  move  that  the  rule  concerning  the 
admission  of  visitors  be  suspended."  "I  move 
that  the  rule  for  adjournment  at  four  o'clock 
be  suspended,  and  that  business  be  continued 
till  half  past  four." 

DIVISION  OF  THE  QUESTION. 
F.  8.  A.  R. 

When  a  motion  is  composed  of  more  than 
one  distinct  proposition,  it  may  be  divided  so  as 
to  enable  the  assembly  to  vote  on  each  proposi- 
tion separately.  Each  proposition  must  be 


98  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

capable  of  standing  by  itself  as  a  substantive 
proposition,  so  that  either  proposition  can  be 
adopted  alone  and  still  be  an  intelligible  ex- 
pression of  the  mind  of  the  assembly. 

A  clause  and  its  proviso  could  not  be  divided. 
For  instance  the  motion  "to  commit  with  in- 
structions;" "to  purchase  fifteen  shares  of 
stock  in  the  Grand  Canal ;"  "that  a  superin- 
tendent be  placed  in  this  ward,  with  power  to 
appoint  the  requisite  number  of  assistants;" 
"that  the  class  form  a  permanent  society  for 
the  study  of  Parliamentary  Law  and  that  it 
meet  on  Tuesdays  at  the  homes  of  members/' 
are  all  indivisible  propositions. 

The  following  resolution  is  divisible  into 
three  parts : 

"Resolved  that  this  Society  establish  a  per- 
manent section  for  practice  in  Parliamentary 
Procedure,  which  section  shall  have  exclusive 
use  of  its  rooms  every  Thursday  evening.  It  is 
also 

"Resolved  that  any  member  of  this  society 
shall  be  permitted  to  introduce  to  its  sections 
on  the  terms  prescribed  for  each  section,  per- 
sons who  are  not  members  of  this  society.  And 
be  it  further 

"Resolved  that  all  persons  attending  the 
meetings  of  sections  shall  be  admitted  thereto 
only  on  presentation  of  the  ticket  required  by 
each  section." 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.       99 

The  parts  into  which  a  motion  is  divided 
must  not  be  interdependent. 

A  division  cannot  be  demanded  as  of  right 
by  any  member  but  must  depend  on  the  vote 
of  the  assembly.  If  division  is  refused,  the 
question  may  be  amended  with  the  same  effect 
by  striking  out  as  by  a  negative  vote  on  a  part 
of  the  divided  proposition. 

AVhen  a  proposition  is  divided,  its  parts  are 
taken  up  separately  in  their  order,  and  each  is 
treated  as  a  main  question. 

The  motion  to  divide  the  question  is  not  de- 
batable. It  can  be  amended  only  in  regard  to 
the  place  of  division. 

This  motion  is  in  order  after  the  Previous 
Question  has  been  ordered. 


MOTION  AS  TO  THE  METHOD  OF 
CONSIDERATION. 

P.  S.  A.  R. 

These  motions  relate  to  limitation  or  exten- 
sion of  debate  and  the  order  of  action  in  the 
assembly.  Such  a  motion,  when  adopted,  con- 
stitutes a  special  rule  applicable  only  to  the 
question  under  consideration.  It  is  made  only 
when  no  rules  on  the  subject  have  been  estab- 
lished. When  rules  have  been  established,  of 


100      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

course  no  conflicting  motion  can  be  adopted, 
without  unanimous  consent. 

This  motion  can  be  amended  only  as  to 
method.  A  motion  for  a  special  order  of  busi- 
ness, for  informal  consideration,  to  consider  a 
report  seriatim,  to  limit  debate,  to  allow  the 
speaker  to  continue,  to  go  into  Committee  of 
the  Whole,  are  examples  of  motions  as  to  meth- 
od of  consideration. 

Informal  Consideration. — If  a  motion  to 
consider  a  question  informally  be  carried,  each 
member  may  speak  in  debate  as  often  as  he  can 
obtain  the  floor:  but  if  there  be  a  rule  limiting 
the  time  of  each  speaker,  that  rule  still  pre- 
vails over  each  speech  made.  While  considera- 
tion is  informal,  no  motion  is  in  order  except 
the  motion  to  amend;  and  the  introduction  of 
any  other  motion  puts  an  end  to  the  informal 
consideration.  The  method  of  procedure  is  the 
same  as  in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  but  the 
presiding  officer  of  the  assembly  retains  the 
chair  and,  when  informal  consideration  ceases, 
announces  to  the  assembly  that  the  assembly 
acting  informally  has  made  certain  amend- 
ments which  he  reports.  The  amendments  go 
before  the  assembly  as  if  reported  from  a  com- 
mittee, and  may  be  rejected  or  altered  by  the 
assembly.  The  clerk  keeps  only  a  temporary 
record  of  the  informal  proceedings,  but  the 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE      101 

report  of  the  Chair  to  the  assembly  is  entered 
on  the  minutes. 

APPEAL  FROM  THE  RULING  OF  THE 
CHAIR. 

S.  D-?  R. 

While  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Chair  to  first 
decide  questions  of  order,  questions  of  privi- 
lege, interpretations  of  the  rules,  and  priority 
of  business,  any  member  who  is  dissatisfied 
with  the  ruling  of  the  Chair  may  rise,  turn 
to  the  assembly,  and  say,  "I  appeal  from  the 
ruling  of  the  Chair,"  and  then  resume  his  seat. 
If  the  appeal  be  seconded,  the  Chair,without 
leaving  his  place,  says,  "The  ruling  of  the 
Chair  is  appealed  from.  The  question  now 
before  the  assembly  is:  Shall  the  decision  of 
the  Chair  stand  as  the  judgment  of  the  assem- 
bly?" 

This  causes  the  main  question  to  fall  into 
abeyance  until  the  appeal  has  been  acted  upon, 
and  opens  to  debate  the  question  appealed  to 
the  assembly,  unless  the  appeal  relates  solely 
to  indecorum,  to  violation  of  the  rules  of  speak- 
ing, or  to  priority  of  business,  in  which  cases 
it  is  not  debatable.  Neither  can  it  be  debated 
if  the  Previous  Question  was  pending  at  the 
lie  appea]  TOS  made. 


102    .  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

If  it  be  debatable,  the  Chair  has  the  first 
right  to  the  floor,  and  may,  by  argument  or 
by  reference  to  authorities,  justify  the  ruling 
made.  The  member  making  the  appeal  then 
has  a  right  to  the  floor,  and  may  cite  authori- 
ties or  render  reasons.  Others  may  debate,  and 
if  the  debate  be  prolonged  it  may  be  closed  by 
ordering  the  Previous  Question.  The  Chair 
then  puts  the  question  to  vote  in  this  form; 
"Shall  the  decision  of  the  Chair  stand  as  the 
judgment  of  the  assembly?  Those  sustaining 
the  judgment  of  the  Chair  will  say  aye.  Those 
opposing  will  say  no."  The  result  of  the  vote 
is  announced  in  one  of  the  following  forms: 
"The  ayes  have  it,  and  the  judgment  of  the 
Chair  is  sustained ;"  or,  "The  noes  have  it,  and 
the  appeal  is  sustained."  Whatever  be  the 
judgment  of  the  assembly,  the  subsequent  pro- 
ceedings are  made  to  conform  thereto. 

If  the  vote  be  a  tie  the  Chair  is  sustained, 
because  the  decision  of  the  Chair  stands  unless 
overruled.  The  presiding  officer,  when  a  mem- 
ber of  the  assembly,  has  a  right  to  vote,  but  it 
is  in  better  taste  for  neither  the  member  mak- 
ing the  appeal  nor  the  presiding  officer  to 
vote. 

When  an  appeal  is  pending  no  other  appeal 
can  be  entertained.  Were  the  rule  otherwise 
appeal  upon  appeal  might  be  made,  resulting 
in  inextricable  confusion.  All  questions  arising 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      103 

under  an  appeal  must  be  peremptorily  decided 
by  the  Chair,  whose  conduct  may  afterward  be 
the  subject  of  action  by  the  assembly. 

If  the  Chair  refuses  to  put  an  appeal  to  vote, 
the  person  appealing  may  put  it  himself.  Or 
the  body  may  declare  the  Chair  vacant  and  may 
elect  another  presiding  officer. 

An  appeal,  to  be  in  order,  must  be  made  im- 
mediately. When  an  appeal  becomes  debatable, 
only  one  speech  from  each  member  is  per- 
mitted. 

An  appeal  may  be  laid  on  the  table  without 
affecting  the  main  question.  The  effect  is  that 
of  sustaining,  at  least  temporarily,  the  decision 
of  the  Chair. 

The  Previous  Question  when  applied  to  an 
appeal  does  not  close  debate  upon  what  was  be- 
fore the  assembly  before  the  appeal  was  made. 

An  appeal  yields  to  any  Privileged  Question. 

No  appeal  can  be  made  from  the  decision  of 
the  Chair  as  to  who  is  entitled  to  the  floor. 

On  an  appeal  the  incidental  question  as  to 
method  of  consideration  may  be  raised. 

The  rule  that  an  appeal  shall  be  seconded 
protects  the  Chair  from  the  assaults  of  a  single 
adversary,  and  also  prevents  the  wasting  of  the 
time  of  the  assembly  by  one  obstreperous  mem- 
ber. 


104      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

RECONSIDERATION. 
I.  S.  D.-? 

The  motion  to  reconsider  a  vote  indicates 
that  since  the  vote  was  taken  something  has 
happened  which  has  caused  at  least  two  of  those 
who  voted  upon  the  prevailing  side  to  change 
their  views  upon  the  question.  After  this  mo- 
tion is  introduced  no  action  can  he  taken  in 
consequence  of  the  vote  which  it  is  moved  to 
reconsider,  until  the  question  of  reconsideration 
is  disposed  of,  either  by  action  upon  it,  or  by 
the  ending  of  the  session.  The  power  to 
change  a  decision  which  unexpected  conditions 
have  rendered  unwise  is  of  such  value  that  the 
motion  to  reconsider  is  an  established  one  in 
Parliamentary  procedure,  though  it  may  be  so 
used  as  to  thwart  the  immediate  effect  of  a  mo- 
tion that  is  sustained  by  the  majority. 

In  the  British  Parliament  no  question  is 
reconsidered.  If  an  error  has  been  committed 
it  is  rectified  by  another  act.  But  in  the 
United  States  the  vote  on  any  motion  may  be 
reconsidered,  and  be  either  reaffirmed  or  re- 
ivsed,  excepting  the  motions  to  adjourn,  to  take 
the  recess,  to  suspend  the  rules,  to  reconsider, 
and  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table,  or  to  take 
from  the  table  when  decided  affirmatively.  De- 
cisions made  by  ballot,  and  the  results  of  eloc- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      105 

tions  cannot  be  reconsidered,  though  they  can 
be  cast  aside  if  reached  irregularly. 

A  question  once  adopted,  rejected,  or  sup- 
pressed, cannot  again  be  considered  during  the 
session,  except  by  a  majority  vote  to  reconsider 
that  question.  The  immediate  effect  of  intro- 
ducing the  motion  is  to  suspend  all  action  that 
the  original  motion  would  have  required. 

A  motion  to  reconsider,  if  carried,  brings 
back  before  the  assembly  the  question  that  has 
been  decided  and  places  it  just  as  it  stood  be- 
fore the  vote  was  taken  upon  it.  It  does  noth- 
ing more  than  to  annul  the  vote  to  which  it 
has  applied,  and  in  all  other  respects  the  ques- 
tion stands  before  the  assembly  precisely  as  it 
did  the  moment  before  it  was  put  to  vote.  If 
anything  previously  changed  by  an  amendment 
is  to  be  altered,  the  vote  on  that  amendment 
must  also  be  reconsidered,  and  in  each  case  of 
reconsideration  the  Chair  must  again  put  the 
qustion  to  vote.  In  general  it  may  be  said 
that  if  an  assembly  desires  to  reconsider  an  act, 
it  must  retract  in  regular  reverse  order  all 
votes  affecting  the  point  to  bo  reconsidered. 

A  motion  to  reconsider  is  not  in  order  after 
action  has  been  ioiken  ~by  the  assembly,  or  by 
its  members,  in  consequence  of  the  decision 
which  it  is  proposed  to  reconsider.  For  in- 
stance, a  motion  to  commit  cannot  be  recon- 
sidered after  the  committee  has  taken  the  pa- 


106      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

pers  committed;  the  papers  could  be  recalled 
only  by  discharging  the  committee.  A  motion 
to  lay  on  the  table,  decided  negatively,  cannoi 
be  reconsidered  if  the  business  has  proceeded 
further,  for  that  would  be  equivalent  to  a  re- 
renewal  of  the  motion  and  should  take  that 
form.  After  an  appeal  from  the  Chair  has 
been  decided,  and  that  decision  has  been  acted 
upon,  a  motion  to  reconsider  the  vote  of  the 
assembly  on  the  appeal  would  not  be  in  order. 
If  anything  which  the  assembly  cannot  re- 
verse has  been  done  as  a  result  of  a  vote,  then 
that  vote  cannot  be  reconsidered. 

A  motion  to  reconsider  can  be  made  only  on 
the  day  when  the  vote  was  taken.  The  House 
of  Representatives  and  some  other  legislative 
bodies  permit  it  to  be  made  also  on  the  suc- 
ceeding day.  It  may  be  acted  upon  on  another 
day  than  the  one  in  which  it  is  made. 

It  can  be  made  when  a  member  has  the 
floor,  when  other  business  is  before  the  house, 
or  when  the  vote  is  being  taken  on  the  motion 
to  adjourn:  but  action  upon  it  must  be  de- 
ferred until  the  business  then  before  the  house 
is  disposed  of.  If  there  be  business  before  the 
house,  the  motion  to  reconsider  is  made,  sec- 
onded, stated  by  the  Chair,  and  entered  upon 
the  minutes,  and  the  business  previously  before 
the  assembly  proceeds.  As  soon  as  this  busi- 
ness is  disposed  of,  the  motion  to  reconsider 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      107 

may  be  taken  up,  and  at  that  time  it  has  pre- 
cedence over  the  orders  of  the  day,,  and  over  all 
other  motions  except  to  fix  the  time  to  which 
to  adjourn. 

It  may  be  laid  on  the  table,  or  may  be  post- 
poned to  a  certain  time,  leaving  the  original 
motion  thereby  unaffected. 

If  it  is  not  called  up,  its  effect  terminates 
with  the  session.  As  long  as  its  effect  lasts 
any  member  may  call  up  the  motion  to  re- 
consider. When  taken  up  it  yields  to  privi- 
leged questions  and  incidental  motions,  but  not 
to  orders  of  the  day. 

The  motion  to  reconsider  can  be  made  only 
by  a  member  who  voted  on  the  prevailing  side, 
as  it  would  be  mere  waste  of  time  for  one  of 
the  minority  to  make  it.  If  the  vote  was  taken 
by  yeas  and  nays,  the  record  shows  who  voted 
on  the  prevailing  side;  and  if  the  vote  was 
taken  in  any  other  manner,  the  Chair  may  in- 
quire whether  the  mover  voted  on  the  pdevail- 
ing  side,  and  there  are  always  witneses  whose 
testimony  may  be  taken  in  cases  of  doubt. 

When  the  motion  to  reconsider  is  applied 
to  a  subsidiary  or  an  incidental  question,  it 
takes  precedence  of  the  main  question. 

No  question  can  be  twice  reconsidered,  un- 
less an  amendment  has  been  made  on  recon- 
sideration. 

When  a  vote  taken  under  the  operation  of 


108      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

the  Previous  Question  is  reconsidered,  the  ques- 
tion is  then  divested  of  the  Previous  Question 
and  is  open  to  further  debate  and  amendment. 

The  motion  to  reconsider  cannot  be  amend- 
ed. It  is  debatable  or  undebatable,  just  as  is 
the  question  which  it  is  proposed  to  reconsider. 
When  that  question  is  debatable,  the  motion 
to  reconsider  opens  up  the  entire  subject  to 
discussion;  when  that  question  is  undebatable, 
its  reconsideration  must  be  put  to  vote  without 
debate.  If  it  be  debatable,  a  person  who  has 
previously  exhausted  his  right  of  debate  on  the 
question  can  debate  the  motion  to  reconsider, 
but  cannot  debate  further  on  the  question  it- 
self if  the  motion  to  reconsider  be  carried. 
Under  our  system  of  reconsideration  a  main 
question  may  be  thrice  debated,  cnce  before  its 
passage,  once  on  the  motion  to  reconsider,  and 
again  after  the  latter  motion  is  carried;  and 
every  member  of  the  assembly  would  have  two 
opportunities  to  formally  debate  it. 

The  Previous  Question  can  be  applied  to  the 
motion  to  reconsider,  and  affect  nothing  beside 
it.  The  vote  on  the  Previous  Question  can 
itself  be  reconsidered,  but  not  after  it  has  been 
partially  executed. 

The  motion  to  reconsider  requires  a  majority 
vote  for  its  adoption,  regardless  of  the  vote 
necessary  to  adopt  the  motion  reconsidered. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      109 

TO  RESCIND. 
F.  S.  D.  A.  B. 

After  the  lapse  of  the  day  on  which  the  mo- 
tion to  reconsider  can  be  introduced,  the  only 
way  to  annual  the  action  is  to  rescind  it.  The 
motion  to  rescind  can  be  made  regardless  of 
the  time  that  has  elapsed,  and  stands  in  every 
respect  on  the  footing  of  a  main  question.  If 
carried,  the  action  to  which  it  applies  is  null 
and  void.  The  motion  to  rescind  action  on  a 
proposition  should  include  provision  for  meet- 
ing pecuniary  or  moral  obligations  that  may 
have  been  incurred  by  the  vote. 

To  reconsider  is  to  annul  the  single  vote  re- 
considered; to  rescind  is  to  do  away  with  the 
whole  law,  motion  or  proposition,  making  room 
for  a  new  question. 

YIELDING  THE  FLOOR. 

If  a  member  yields  the  floor  to  a  motion  to 
adjourn  or  for  a  recess,  and  the  motion  is  nega- 
tively decided,  he  is  entitled  to  resume  and  pro- 
ceed with  his  speech.  If  the  motion  is  carried, 
he  is  entitled  to  resume  at  the  next  meeting 
when  the  subject  is  again  before  the  assembly. 

A  member  having  the  floor  may  yield  it  for 
a  question  addressed  to  himself  without  losing 


110  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

his  right  to  continue,  for  he  regains  the  floor 
in  the  very  act  of  replying.  A  member  inter- 
rupted by  the  Question  of  Consideration  may 
go  on  with  his  speech  if  the  assembly  decides 
to  consider  the  question.  In  general  a  member 
interrupted  in  a  parliamentaly  manner,  as  by 
a  question  of  privilege,  does  not  lose  the  right 
to  the  floor,  but  may  resume  it  when  the  inter- 
rupting question  is  disposed  of. 

In  all  other  cases  yielding  the  floor  means 
abandoning  it  to  the  assembly. 


PARLIAMENTARY  INQUIRIES. 

When  any  member  is  in  doubt  concerning 
the  effect  of  a  vote,  or  in  regard  to  the  proper 
method  of  procedure,  he  may  rise,  address  the 
chair  and  say,  "I  rise  to  a  parliamentary  in- 
quiry." The  Chair  should  respond,  saying, 
"Please  state  the  inquiry,"  or  "The  gentleman 
will  make  his  inquiry."  The  member  then  asks 
his  question,  and  the  Chair  elucidates  the  point 
referred  to. 


REQUEST  FOR  INFORMATION. 

A  member  may  rise^  address  the  Chair,  and 
say,  "'I  rise  for  information."  The  Chair  will 
say,  "'The  member  will  make  his  inquiry." 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      Ill 

After  hearing  the  query,  the  Chair  may  answer 
it,  or  may  refer  it  to  another  member  for  reply. 
A  request  for  information,  or  the  giving  of  a 
reply,  does  not  destroy  the  right  of  debate  on 
the  motion  under  consideration. 


REPORTS. 

Eeports  are  received  by  hearing  them.  A 
report  given  simply  for  the  information  of 
members  need  not  be  accepted  or  adopted.  Such 
reports  are  often  given  by  investigating  com- 
mittees, and  by  officers  at  annual  meetings.  A 
treasurer's  report  may  be  received  whenever  the 
assembly  requires  it,  but  should  be  accepted 
only  subsequent  to  its  having  been  audited. 

A  report  given  for  the  information  of  the 
assembly  may  furnish  occasion  for  a  vote  of 
thanks,  or  for  the  introduction  of  a  main  ques- 
tion of  great  importance. 


MEETINGS. 

The  sessions  of  a  Society  terminate  with 
its  annual  meetings,  and  for  these  a  special 
order  of  business  is  usually  made. 

Eegiilar  meetings  are  those  whose  times 
are  determined  by  the  rules  of  the  society. 

An  adjourned  meeting  is  one  for  which  the 


112      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

time  is  fixed  at  a  regular  meeting,  the  time 
being  earlier  than  the  next  regular  meeting. 
Members  may  be  notified  of  an  adjourned 
meeting. 

A  special  meeting  is  one  called,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  rules  of  the  society,  for  a  par- 
ticular purpose.  All  members  should  be  noti- 
fied of  the  meeting,  and  of  the  business  to  be 
brought  forward. 

The  minutes  of  all  regular  and  adjourned 
meetings  should  be  read  at  the  close  of  the 
same  meeting,  or  at  the  beginning  of  the  next 
succeeding  regular  meeting.  The  minutes  of 
a  special  meeting  should  be  read  at  the  next 
regular  meeting. 

The  whole  series  of  regular  and  adjourned 
meetings  during  a  session  stand  as  one  con- 
tinuous  conclave,  in  which  the  minutes  are  oc- 
casionally read  for  the  refreshment  of  the 
memory  of  the  members,  and  for  approval  be- 
fore final  record. 


QUORUM. 

The  quorum  of  an  assembly  is  the  number 
which  must  be  present  in  order  to  render  the 
assembly  competent  to  transact  business. 

In  assemblies  which  act  upon  their  own  re- 
sponsibility, and  which  are  neither  represents- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      113 

tive  nor  judicial,  no  fixed  number  is  required. 
In  some  assemblies,  as  in  a  town  meeting,  who- 
ever comes  is  authorized  to  act,  and  the  action 
taken  binds  others.  Stockholders  meetings  are 
also  of  this  class. 

In  some  bodies,  as  in  a  Board  of  Referees, 
the  whole  number  constitutes  a  quorum. 

Where  the  body  is  a  representative  one,  per- 
forming the  functions  of  government  for  a 
constituency,  or  a  financial  one  managing  the 
business  of  the  corporation  which  selected  it, 
the  quorum  is  a  majority  of  the  members  and 
can  be  neither  increased  nor  diminished  by  the 
vote  of  the  body.  City  Councils  and  Boards  of 
Directors  are  of  this  class. 

In  voluntary  bodies  the  quorum  may  be  fixed 
by  the  vote- of  the  body  itself. 

There  is  no  definite  rule,  applicable  to  all 
cases,  for  the  determination  of  the  number 
that  should  form  a  quorum. 

In  the  House  of  Lords,  consisting  of  about 
550  members,  three  are  a  quorum. 

In  the  House  of  Commons,  with  about  670 
members,  forty  are  a  quorum. 

In  the  French  Chamber  of  Deputies  and  in 
the  U.  S.  Congress,  a  majority  of  the  elected 
members  are  a  quorum. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  fifteen 
members  may  determine  to  compel  the  at- 
tendance of  absent  members. 


114      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

In  committees,  including  a  Committee  of  the 
Whole,  a  majority  is  a  quorum. 

If  a  quorum  be  not  present,  and  the  fact  is 
ascertained  by  count  of  the  Chair,  or  in  any 
other  way  previously  determined  by  the  as- 
sembly, then  the  assembly  must  adjourn,  unless 
it  remains  in  session  to  compel  attendance. 

Even  if  there  be  no  quorum,  the  assembly 
may  legally  fix  the  lime  to  which  to  adjourn, 
and  may  adjourn;  but  these  are  the  only 
questions  which  can  be  considered. 

All  voluntary  assembles  should  determine 
their  quorum,  and  it  is  usually  expedient  to  re- 
duce the  required  number  below  the  majority. 
This  should  be  done  after  fixing  the  time  and 
place  of  meetings. 

The  quorum  required  is  a  present,  not  a 
voting,  quorum.  A  quonim  being  present, 
those  who  sit  silent  are  regarded  as  voting  on 
the  prevailing  side.  The  Chair  should,  how- 
ever, generally  insist  upon  every  member's  vot- 
ing. 

In  case  that  less  than  a  quorum  votes  the 
Secretary  or  Clerk  should  record  the  fact  of  a 
quorum  being  present,  and  this  should  be  done 
on  an  actual  count. 

In  practical  application  a  quorum  is  pre- 
sumed to  be  present,  if  no  member  raises  a 
question  on  the  subject. 

It  is  not  decided  whether  a  quorum  is  neces- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      115 

sary  during  debate.  It  is  necessary  in  England, 
but  not  in  France,  and  is  insisted  on  in  the 
U.  S.  Senate,  but  not  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. 

DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS  AND  MEMBERS. 

The  presiding  officer  should  be  courteous, 
impartial,  and  firm;  should  cultivate  a  good 
presence;  should  have  a  resonant  voice  and  a 
perfect  temper:  should  understand  parliamenta- 
ry law;  and  should  know  when  to  press  a  rule, 
and  when  to  let  common  consent  hold  sway. 

The  following  statement  of  the  duties  of 
officers  and  members  is  found  in  Reed's  Rules: 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  presiding  officer  to 
call  the  assembly  to  order  at  the  appointed 
time;  to  ascertain  the  presence  of  a  quorum; 
to  ca]l  for  the  reading  of  the  minutes  and  to 
have  them  passed  upon  by  the  assembly;  to  lay 
before  the  assembly  its  business  in  the  order 
indicated  by  its  rules;  to  receive  propositions 
made  by  members  of  the  assembly,  to  state 
them,  submit  them  to  vote  and  announce  the 
result;  to  decide  all  questions  of  order,  subject 
to  appeal  to  the  assembly;  to  answer  all  par- 
liamentary inquiries,  and  give  information  as 
to  the  parliamentary  effect  of  proposed  action; 
to  present  to  the  assembly  all  proper  communi- 
cations to  it,  and  all  messages  from,  co-ordinate 


116      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

branches;  to  sign  and  authenticate  all  acts,  re- 
solves, and  votes  of  the  assembly;  to  name  ;i 
member  to  take  the  chair  until  the  adjournment 
of  the  meeting;  to  keep  the  assembly  in  order; 
and  to  represent  the  assembly  subject  to  its 
expressed  will. 

The  presiding  officer  can  neither  make  nor 
second  motions,  and  in  case  of  absence  cannot 
appoint  a  substitute. 

The  presiding  officer  should  rise  when  stat- 
ing a  question,  when  putting  a  question  to  vote, 
and  whenever  addressing  the  assembly  as  a 
whole,  but  may  sit  at  other  times,  as  when  recog- 
nizing a  member  for  the  purpose  of  giving  him 
the  floor,  and  when  hearing  debate. 

The  presiding  officer  should  always  be  him- 
self in  order,  and  should  act  with  the  decorum 
that  he  ought  to  demand  from  other  members. 
He  should  specifically  call  to  order  any  mem- 
ber who  persists  in  disorder.  If  the  authority 
of  the  Chair  is  insufficient,  the  assembly  should 
assist  the  Chair  in  the  maintenance  of  order, 
and  in  case  the  assembly  fails  in  its  duty,  the 
presiding  officer  may  leave  the  chair  and  re- 
fuse to  return  thereto  until  order  is  restored. 

A  presiding  officer  elected  by  an  assembly 
may  be  removed  by  the  assembly  at  its  will. 
The  assembly  can  at  all  times  control  the  occu- 
pancy of  the  chair.  By  a  two-thirds  vote  the 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      117 

chair  may  be  declared  vacant,  and  a  new  elec- 
tion may  be  had. 

Vice-President.  Whenever  the  President  is 
absent  or  disabled,  the  Vice-President  assumes 
all  the  duties  of  the  office.  If  no  presiding 
officer  be  present,  the  recording  officer  calls 
the  meeting  to  order,  and  then  calls  for  the 
nomination  of  a  temporary  chairman.  If  no 
officer  be  present,  any  member  may  call  the 
meeting  to  order  and  temporary  officers  may 
be  chosen. 

Recording  Secretary,  Cleric  or  Recorder. 
The  recording  officer  should  be  a  good  reader, 
a  ready  penman,  quick  in  observation,  and 
apt  at  making  accurate  digests  of  proceed- 
ings. He  should  at  the  meetings  sit  near 
the  presiding  officer,  so  as  to  assist  more  easily 
in  the  order  of  business.  It  is  the  duty  of  the 
recording  officer  to_keep^  the  j ournaTTiF "min- 
utes ;  to  read  them  on  the  call  of  the  CKafrJ  ami 
to  read  all  papers  demanded  by  the  assembly 
or  its  rules :  to  keep  an  accurate  list  of  mem- 
"  crs :  to  call  the  roll  whenever  the  presence,  of 
members  is  determined  by  that  method,  or  when 
the  yeas >  and  nays  are  ordered;  to  preserve  on 
file  all  documents  and  papers  belonging  to  the 
assembly,  or  made  a  part  of  its  proceedings; 
to  authenticate,  either  alone  or  conjointly  with 
the  presiding  officer,  all  acts,  resolves,  and  pro- 


118      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

ceedings  of  the  assembly,  except  where  by  law 
or  rule  other  authentication  is  required;  to 
furnish  to  the  chairman  of  each  committee  a 
correct  list  of  its  members;  to  notify  commit- 
tees of  all  business  referred  to  them,  and  to 
send  them  all  papers  relating  to  such  business. 

The  recording  officer,  if  a  member,  has  the 
right  to  introduce  motions,  to  second  motions, 
to  debate,  to  vote,  and  to  participate  in  the 
proceedings  in  all  ways  not  inconsistent  with 
the  performance  of  his  duties.  The  holding 
of  office  does  not  annul  the  rights  of  member- 
ship. 

\y Corresponding  Secretary.  It  is  the  duty  of 
the  Corresponding  Secretary  to  conduct  the 
correspondence  of  the  Society,  and  to  keep  on 
file  all  important  letters  received  and  copies 
of  those  written. 

Treasurer.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Treas- 
urer to  securely  keep  the  moneys  of  the 
Society;  tc^  collect  the  dues  from  members : 
to  keep  an  accurate  account  of  "alt  sums  re- 
ceived and  paid;  to  make  reports  and  show 
vouchers  at  such  times  as  may  be  prescribed 
by  the  rules,  and  to  follow  all  instruction  given 
by  the  assembly  concerning  its  funds.  The 
Treasurer  should  pay  out  money  only  on  the 
order  of  the  -Society,  signed  bv  the  President: 

-I         T-»  1  •  -<  ]'  '    "     '     *  V  " 

ancL  Eecordmo-  feecretaifc 

A  Treasurer's  report  should  be  accepted  only 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      119 

when  it  has  been  audited  by  the  appointed  per- 
sons, and  this  should  be  at  least  annually. 

Other  Officers.  A  presiding  and  a  recording 
officer  are  all  that  are  strictly  requisite  for 
parliamentary  organization,  but  other  officers 
may  be  added  to  any  number  demanded  by  the 
needs  of  the  assembly.  The  rules  of  each  de- 
liberative body  prescribe  the  duties  of  its  offi- 
cersx  as  well  as  their  number  and  the  manner 
in  which  they  shall  bo  appointed. 

Duties  of  Members.  It  is  the  duty  of  every 
member  to  enter  and  leave  the  chamber  quietly , 
to  refrain  from  everything  indicative  of  dis- 
respect: to  address  no  one  but  the  presiding 
officer  during  the  meeting;  to  obey  the  rules 
of  the  assembly:  and  to  diligently  attend  to 
the  business  immediately  before  the  assembly. 
If  the  presiding  officer  rises  to  speak,  when 
the  floor  has  not  been  assigned  to  anyone,  it 
is  the  duty  of  any  member  who  may  previously 
have  risen  to  be  seated. 

Rights  of  Members.  Every  member  is  in  a 
parliamentary  sense  the  equal  of  every  other 
member.  Each  has  the  right  to  present  propo- 
sitions and  to  debate  them;  to  vote  on  every 
question  determined  by  the  assembly;  to  de- 
mand that  the  proceedings  be  in  order  and  to 
insist  on  decorum  in  debate. 


120      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

NOMINATION  OP  OFFICERS. 

To  nominate  is  to  name  for  office.  A  candi- 
date receiving  a  majority  of  votes  is  elected 
whether  previously  nominated  or  not.  The  pur- 
pose of  nomination  is  to  concentrate  votes,  so 
that  a  majority  can  be  secured  for  one  candi- 
date without  too  great  expenditure  of  time  in 
balloting.  A  person  who  had  not  been  nomi- 
nated might  be  elected,  but  election  without  re- 
peated balloting  would  be  improbable. 

The  rules  of  a  Society  should  provide  for  the 
nomination  of  officers  as  well  as  for  their  elec- 
tion. There  are  several  methods  of  nomination, 
each  appropriate  in  its  place. 

1.  By  nomination  from  the  floor.  As  in  the 
nomination  of  members  for  a  committee,  no 
one  member  should  nominate  more  than  one 
candidate  for  each  office.  The  member  rises  in 
his  place,  addresses  the  Chair,  and  says,  "I  nom- 
inate Mr.  ,"  and  sits  down.  When  the 

nomination  is  seconded,  the  Chair  says  "Mr. 
is  nominated,"  and  the  Secretary  re- 
cords the  nomination.  There  is  no  limit  to  the 
number  of  those  who  may  be  nominated,  except 
by  order  of  the  assembly.  The  nominations  may 
close  by  common  consent,  or  any  member  may 
move  "That  the  nominations  be  now  closed," 
and  if  the  motion  be  carried,  no  further  nomi- 
nations can  be  made.  When  the  nominations 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      121 

have  been  closed,  the  Chair  having  so  declared, 
the  Chair  reads,  in  the  order  of  their  nomina- 
tion, the  names  of  all  who  have  been  nomi- 
nated, and  then  puts  the  names  to  vote.  When 
nomination  is  from  the  floor,  the  vote  on  the 
names  proposed  may  be  by  acclamation  or  by 
ballot.  If  the  vote  is  by  acclamation  the  Chair 
puts  them  to  vote  in  their  order,  one  by  one: 
and  whenever  a  majority  vote  for  any  nominee, 
that  nominee  is  declared  elected,  and  no  more 
names  are  voted  upon. 

2.  By  Nominating  Committee.  Officers 
may  be  nominated  by  a  committee  appointed 
by  the  Chair.  This  method  gives  the  Chair  great 
power  over  the  ensuing  election,  because  the 
committee  may  be  made  up  of  those  known  to 
favor  the  nomination  of  certain  persons  ap- 
proved by  the  Chair.  Even  when  the  committee 
is  required  to  report  two  sets  of  candidates,  it 
can  offer  incompetent  rivals  to  the  favored  can- 
didates, and  thus  secure  the  election  of  the  lat- 
ter. This  method  of  nomination  is  commend- 
able only  when  the  majority  of  the  members 
are  unacquainted  with  each  other  and  with  the 
affairs  of  the  Society,  or  when  they  are  indif- 
ferent to  the  interests  of  the  Society. 

When  the  nominating  committee  is  itself 
nominated  from  the  floor,  and  the  names  pro- 
posed for  the  committee  are  voted  upon  in  the 
order  of  nomination,  there  is  large  opportunity 


122      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

for  different  factions  to  be  represented  upon  the 
committee.  Bat  the  committee  thus  created  has 
also  great  power  in  controlling  the  election,  and 
does  in  fact  virtually  choose  the  officers. 

3.  By  Informal  Ballot.  In  this  method  of 
nomination  the  ballot  is  taken  in  the  usual 
way,  each  member  writing  upon  the  ballot  the 
name  of  the  person  preferred  for  the  office 
named.  When  all  the  ballots  are  received,  they 
are  counted  by  the  tellers  under  the  usual  rules, 
and  the  two  persons  receiving  the  highest  and 
the  next  to  the  highest  number  of  votes  are  the 
nominees.  If  there  be  a  tie  vote  for  the  two 
next  the  highest,  then  there  are  three  nominees. 

The  nominees  are  announced  by  the  Chair, 
and  the  formal  ballot  is  taken  for  election,  only 
the  nominees  being  voted  for.  Balloting  must 
continue  until  one  of  the  nominees  receives  a 
majority  of  the  votes  cast. 

The  advantage  of  this  method  is  that  it  gives 
to  every  member  the  opportunity  to  nominate, 
and  is  therefore  absolutely  fair.  It  is  also  an 
economy  of  material;  for  after  one  officer  has 
been  chosen,  the  whole  remaining  membership 
is  offered  for  choice  of  the  next  officer,  and  so 
on  to  the  end. 

In  a  small  society  this  method  is  sufficiently 
short  to  be  practicable.  In  large  societies  the 
principle  may  be  preserved,  and  time  also  saved, 
by  issuing  blank  ballots  for  nomination,  having 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      123 

printed  upon  the  informal  ballot,  under  an  invi- 
tation to  nominate,  the  titles  of  all  offices  to  bo 
filled  in  the  ensuing  election.  Every  member 
should  receive  a  distinctive  envelope  and  one  in- 
formal ballot,  printed  on  distinctive  paper,  and 
duly  signed  by  the  Recording  Secretary.  After 
writing  under  their  respective  titles  the  names 
of  preferred  candidates,  the  member  returns 
the  ballot  to  the  Secretary,  who  passes  all  the 
ballots,  unopened,  to  the  Tellers,  to  be  counted 
at  a  time  and  place  and  under  the  eyes  of  In- 
spectors appointed  by  the  assembly.  Ballots  con- 
taining more  than  one  name  to  each  office  are 
cast  out. 

The  informal  ballot  is  the  ballot  for  nomina- 
tion; the  formal  ballot  is  the  ballot  for  election. 
In  announcing  the  result  of  the  informal  ballot, 
the  Chair  mentions  no  names  besides  those  of 
the  nominees;  in  announcing  the  result  of  the 
formal  ballot,  the  Chair  mentions  no  other 
name  than  that  of  the  successful  candidate.  In 
announcing  the  result  of  the  informal  ballot, 
the  Chair  does  not  mention  the  number  of  votes 
cast;  in  announcing  the  result  of  the  formal 
ballot,  the  Chair  always  mentions  the  number 
of  votes  cast. 


124:  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

ELECTION  OF  OFFICERS. 

The  nominees  are  sometimes  announced  by 
the  Chair  at  the  meeting  for  the  election  of  of- 
ficers and  the  formal  ballot  is  then  taken,  only 
those  present  being  permitted  to  cast  votes. 

When,  in  the  informal  ballot  for  nomination, 
a  majority  of  votes  are  cast  for  one  nominee, 
time  may  be  saved  by  a  motion  "that  the  in- 
formal ballot  be  made  formal."  This  motion 
should  be  voted  upon  by  acclamation,  and  if  car- 
ried, the  nominee  is  declared  elected;  but  if  the 
motion  be  lost,  the  formal  ballot  must  be  taken 
in  the  usual  way. 

Or  the  Secretary,  or  a  Teller  may  be  instruct- 
ed to  cast  the  formal  ballot,  as  described  under 
the  general  directions  for  balloting. 

Formal  Ballot  by  Mail.  When  members  of  a 
society  are  numerous  and  scattered,  the  ballot 
for  election  may  also  well  be  taken  through  the 
mails.  A  blanket  ballot  containing  the  names 
of  the  nominees,  printed  under  the  names  of 
the  offices  to  which  they  are  respectively  nomi- 
nated, may  be  sent  with  a  distinctive  envelope 
to  each  member.  A  cross,  made  before  the  name 
of  the  preferred  nominee  in  each  office,  indi- 
cates the  vote  of  the  member.  These  formal  bal- 
lots are  returned  by  mail  to  the  Recording  Sec- 
retary, and  are  transferred  unopened  to  the 
Tellers,  who  open  and  count  them  in  the  pres- 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  125 

ence  of  the  Inspectors.  A  majority  for  one  nom- 
inee constitutes  an  election,  unless  the  Consti- 
tution requires  a  larger  or  smaller  number  of 
votes  therefor. 

When  Nominees  Vote.  It  is  customary  for 
all  nominees  to  refrain  from  voting  upon  the 
question  of  their  own  election  unless  there  be 
a  blanket  ballot,  that  is,  a  ballot  containing  the 
names  of  the  nominees  for  several  offices.  If 
a  rival  candidate  votes,  it  is  permissible  and 
often  commendable  for  the  other  nominee  to 
vote. 

Voting  by  Proxy.  No  member  may  vote  by 
proxy  unless  the  rules  of  the  Society  so  declare. 
If  such  voting  is  permitted,  the  authorization 
of  the  proxy  should  be  signed,  and  the  signature 
be  attested  by  a  Notary  Public. 

Electioneering.  It  is  proper  to  electioneer 
both  publicly  and  privately.  Previous  to  an  in- 
formal ballot,  members  may  openly  recommend 
a  certain  candidate,  and  previous  to  the  formal 
ballot  speeches  may  be  made  in  favor  of  any 
nominee,  but  no  member  is  obliged  to  vote  for 
the  candidate  thus  recommended.  The  purpose 
of  electioneering  is  to  concentrate  votes  on  the 
candidate  recommended;  and  an  electioneering 
speech  may  be  made  without  discourtesy  to  any 
rival  candidate. 

Declining  Office.  The  time  to  decline  office 
is  before  election.  Any  member  who  cannot 


126      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

serve  in  office  should  say  so  on  the  earliest  inti- 
mation of  nomination.  No  person  should  be 
elected  to  office  without  having  previously  con- 
sented to  serve  in  case  of  election. 

Installation  in  Office.  The  election  of  offi- 
cers is  usually  fixed  for  the  annual  meeting,  or 
the  meeting  next  before  it.  The  officers  take 
their  place,  one  by  one  as  soon  as  elected,  or  all 
at  the  beginning  of  the  next  succeeding  meet- 
ing, or  at  such  time  after  election  as  the  Con- 
stitution declares. 

When  permanent  officers  succeed  temporary 
ones,  each  officer  as  soon  as  elected,  succeeds 
the  temporary  officer. 

Temporary  officers  are  either  appointed  or 
elected. 

MINUTES  OR  JOURNAL. 

The  minutes  are  a  record  of  the  proceedings, 
kept  by  the  Recording  Officer.  The  rule  is 
to  record  whatever  influences  future  action. 
The  disposal  of  every  principal  motion  must 
be  recorded;  those  that  are  lost,  because  they 
are  debarred  from  being  introduced  again  dur- 
ing the  session,  and  those  that  are  affirmatively 
voted  upon,  because  they  demand  subsequent 
action. 

The  minutes  should  begin  with  the  name 
of  the  Society,  and  the  place  and  date  of  its 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      127 

meeting;  should  state  whether  the  meeting  is 
regular,  adjourned  or  special;  who  presided 
over  it,  and  whether  the  minutes  troni  the  pre- 
vious meeting  were  read  and  approved. 

It  is  usual  to  record  the  names  of  the  mover 
and  the  seconder  of  the  main  questions.  A 
digest  of  the  arguments  presented  in  debate 
may  be  inserted  if  the  recorder  is  apt  in  such 
work,  and  such  digests  often  make  the  minutes 
of  greater  value,  but  they  cannot  be  demanded, 
and  it  is  usually  better  to  confine  the  journal 
strictly  to  what  has  been  done.  What  has  been 
proposed  or  discussed  but  not  regularly  pre- 
sented and  acted  upon  has  no  place  in  the  min- 
utes. 

The  Recording  Officer  often  writes  the  jour- 
nal three  times.  The  first  time  all  motions 
made  in  the  meeting  are  noted  in  their  order, 
with  the  disposal  of  each,  and  these  notes  are 
used  if  need  be  to  assist  the  memory  of  the 
presiding  officer  during  the  progress  of  busi- 
ness, or  in  case  of  reconsideration. 

After  adjournment  for  the  day,  when  the 
reconsideration  of  any  vote  would  no  longer 
be  in  order,  the  notes  may  be  written  out  in 
full,  omitting  incidental  motions  and  all  such 
subsidiary  motions  as  have  no  influence  on 
future  action.  These  minutes  are  read  at  the 
next  meeting  on  call  of  the  Chair,  and  are  sub- 
ject to  correction  and  amendment  by  the  as- 


128  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

sembly.  After  approval  by  the  assembly,  the 
minutes  may  be  exactly  copied  for  permanent 
preservation  and  reference,  and  must  be  open, 
at  reasonable  times,  to  the  inspection  of  any 
member. 

It  is  in  order  for  the  assembly  to  correct 
the  minutes  regardless  of  the  time  that  has 
elapsed  since  they  were  made,  or  of  the  num- 
ber of  times  they  have  been  corrected. 

When  a  vote  is  by  ballot  the  number  of  votes 
on  each  side  should  be  entered  in  the  minutes, 
and  when  the  Yeas  and  Nays  are  called  the  list 
of  the  names  as  well  as  the  number  of  votes 
should  be  recorded. 

Minutes  are  usually  read  at  the  beginning 
of  the  next  meeting,  but  if  the  next  meeting 
will  not  soon  occur,  the  minutes  should  be  read 
at  the  close  of  the  meeting  to  which  they  per- 
tain, and  should  then  be  corrected  and  ap- 
proved. 

Any  member  may  offer  either  a  correction  or 
an  amendment  to  the  minutes,  and  in  case  of 
dispute,  the  amendment  is  acted  upon  by  the 
assembly  as  a  main  question. 

The  recording  officer,  whether  a  permanent 
or  a  temporary  one,  should  sign  the  minutes 
of  the  meeting.  The  Recording  Secretary,  or 
Clerk,  or  Recorder  is  the  custodian  of  all  min- 
utes recording  the  past  proceedings  of  the  as- 
sembly. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      129 

To  Expunge  from  the  Minutes.  It  some- 
times happens  that  an  assembly  desires  to  ex- 
punge from  the  minutes  a  true  record  that 
has  already  been  approved.  In  such  case  any 
member  may  move  to  expunge  a  certain  page 
or  paragraph,  and  if  the  vote  therefor  be  unan- 
imous, the  recording  officer  pastes  a  blank  pa- 
per over  the  expunged  portion  and  writes  there- 
upon "Expunged  by  order  of  the  assembly/' 
giving  the  date. 

Numbering.  The  numbers  prefixed  to  para- 
graphs or  sections,  being  only  marginal  indi- 
cations, should  be  corrected,  if  necessary,  by 
the  recording  officer,  without  a  motion  to 
amend. 


ORGANIZATION  OP  A  SOCIETY. 

A  Society  generally  has  its  origin  in  the 
mind  of  an  individual,  who  confers  with  others 
about  the  aims  of  the  association.  When  a 
few  xhave  been  found  to  be  of  one  opinion  in 
regard  to  the  matter,  a  call  for  a  meeting  is 
issued.  When  the  time  of  the  meeting  arrives, 
one  of  those  who  issued  the  call  rises  and  calls 
the  meeting  to  order,  and  either  nominates  or 
asks  for  the  nomination  of  a  temporary  chair- 
man. The  nomination  having  been  made  and 
seconded,  it  is  put  to  vote  by  acclamation,  and 


130  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

the  temporary  chairman,  as  soon  as  elected 
takes  the  chair. 

The  election  of  a  temporary  secretary  is  next 
in  order,,  and  as  soon  as  one  is  likewise  nomi- 
nated and  elected,  the  temporary  organization 
of  the  Society  is  effected.  A  presiding  and  a 
recording  officer  are  usually  the  only  ones  nec- 
essary to  the  temporary  organization,  but  oth- 
ers may  be  chosen.  All  the  temporary  officers 
hold  office  until  the  permanent  officers  shall 
have  been  elected. 

A  discussion  of  the  object  and  rules  of'  the 
association  follows,  and  then  a  motion  is  made 
to  proceed  to  permanent  organization.  Those 
who  intend  to  participate  in  the  undertaking, 
are  asked  to  rise,  and  these  become  the  original 
members  or  founders  of  the  Society. 


THE  MAKING  OP  A  CONSTITUTION,  BY- 
LAWS AND  SPECIAL  RULES. 

For  this  work  it  is  customary  to  appoint 
a  committee,  with  instructions  to  report  at  a 
future  meeting.  These  fundamental  rules  vary 
so  greatly  with  the  structure  and  purposes  of 
Societies,  that  no  model  can  be  given;  but  cer- 
tain provisions  are  alike  necessary  for  all.  A 
Constitution  should  contain  only  what  is  fun- 
damental, and  what  will  require  no  speedy  al- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      131 

teration,  and  should  contain  at  least  six  Arti- 
cles. 

ARTICLE  I.— NAME. 

Under  this  heading  the  name  of  the  organi- 
zation should  be  declared.  Its  name  should  be 
distinctive,  that  it  may  preserve  its  individ- 
uality in  case  legal  questions  arise  concerning 
property  belonging  to,  or  bequeathed  to  it.  The 
name  should  be  short,  because  it  is  to  be  often 
written  or  spoken. 

ARTICLE  II.— OBJECT. 

Under  this  heading  the  reason  which  the 
Society  has  for  its  being  should  be  briefly 
set  forth.  It  is  better  to  say  too  little  rather 
than  too  much,  and  to  avoid  details,  thus  leav- 
ing freedom  for  adjustment  to  changing  cir- 
cumstances. If  there  be  a  motto  it  should  be 
here  inserted. 


ARTICLE   III.— MEMBERSHIP. 

This  article  should  clearly  indicate  the  meth- 
od by  which  members  enter  the  Society,  and 
everything  relating  to  their  admission  should 
be  methodically  set  forth. 


132  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

ARTICLE  IV.— OFFICERS. 

This  article  should  state  what  officers  the 
Society  shall  have,  when  and  how  they  shall 
be  nominated  and  elected,  what  their  term  of 
office  shall  be,  and  how  vacancies  shall  be 
filled.  If  there  is  to  be  a  board  of  Managers, 
Directors  or  Trustees,  the  manner  of  creating 
the  Board  should  be  described,  and  its  powers 
should  be  defined,  either  in  this  or  a  separate 
article. 

ARTICLE  V.— MEETINGS. 

The  times  of  the  regular  and  annual  meet- 
ings should  be  stated,  and  the  rule  under  which 
special  meetings  may  be  called  should  be  laid 
down.  The  number  forming  a  quorum  should 
also  be  declared. 

ARTICLE  VI.— AMENDMENT. 

Every  Constitution  should  provide  for  its 
own  amendment,  and  this  article  should  be  the 
last  in  the  Constitution.  If  there  be  other 
articles,  they  may  be  interposed  between  the 
last  two. 

Any  article  may  contain  several  SECTIONS, 
and  these  should  be  consecutively  numbered 
within  each  article,  using  Arabic  numerals. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      133 

Clearness  and  the  utmost  brevity  consistent 
therewith  should  characterize  the  fundamental 
laws  of  the  Society. 

BY-LAWS. 

A  Society  simply  constructed,  and  with  no 
complexity  in  its  business,  may  require  nothing 
more  than  a  Constitution  for  a  sufficient  set- 
ting forth  of  its  rules;  but  if  there  be  need  of 
detailed  statements  for  the  guidance  of  the 
members,  these  should  be  arranged  as  By-Laws, 
giving  specifically  under  consecutive  Articles 
the  duties  of  Officers,  duties  of  Members,  the% 
list  of  Standing  Committees  and  their  respect- 
ive duties,  and  all  details  relating  to  the  meet- 
ings or  management  of  the  Society.  The  By-  % 
Laws  should  always  mention  the  Parliamentary 
authority  which  shall  guide  the  Society  in  its  , 
procedure. 

The  last  article  in  the  By-Laws  should  state 
how  the  By-Laws  may  be  amended. 

SPECIAL  RULES. 

The  proceedings  of  no  one  deliberative  body 
can  in  every  respect  be  taken  as  a  Parliamen- 
tary model  for  any  other.  Each  body  has,  for 
matters  of  detail,  special  rules  adapting  the 


134      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

general  rules  of  procedure  to  its  special  circum- 
stances. All  regulations  which  the  Society  may 
wish  to  alter  suddenly,  and  all  such  rules  as 
may  need  to  be  suspended  for  a  single  occa- 
sion, should  be  arranged  under  the  head  of 
Special  Eules.  These  can  at  any  time  be  sus- 
pended, resuming  sway  as  soon  as  the  single 
occasion  for  the  suspension  shall  have  passed. 
They  may  determine  the  time  allowed  to  each 
speaker  in  debate,  the  terms  upon  which  visi- 
tors shall  be  admited,  the  hour  for  calling  to 
order  and  for  adjournment,  the  place  of  meet- 
ing, the  order  of  business,  etc.  Whether  any 
regulation  should  be  placed  among  the  By- 
Laws  or  among  the  Special  Rules  must  be  de- 
termined by  the  probability  of  need  for  its  sud- 
den suspension. 

ORDER  OF  BUSINESS. 

Every  deliberative  body  should  have  a  reg- 
ular order  of  business  to  be  followed  at  its 
meetings.  This  may  be  prepared  by  a  member, 
or  by  a  committee,  and  adopted  by  a  majority 
vote  of  the  assembly.  The  order  may  be  more 
or  less  complex,  depending  on  the  amount  and 
variety  of  business  to  be  transacted.  One  of 
the  following  orders  would  be  practicable  for 
most  oragnizations : 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      135 

No.  1. 

1.  Calling  to  order. 

2.  Reading  and  approval  of  minutes. 

3.  Unfinished  business. 

4.  New  business. 

5.  Adjournment. 

No.    2. 

1.  Calling  to  order. 

2.  Approval  of  the  journal. 

3.  Orders  of  the  day. 

4.  Report  of  committees. 

5.  Unfinished  business. 

6.  New  business. 

7.  Adjournment. 

No.  3. 

1.  Calling  to  order. 

2.  Calling  the  roll. 

3.  Approval  of  the  minutes. 

4.  Reports  of  officers. 

5.  Reports  of  special  committees. 

6.  Reports  of  standing  committees. 

7.  Unfinished  business. 

8.  Other  business. 

9.  Adjournment. 


EXERCISES. 

The  Association  for  Village  Improvement  is 
holding  a  meeting. 

Chair.    New  business  is  now  in  order. 
Mr.  A.  rises.     Mr.  President. 


136  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

Chair.    Mr.  A. 

Mr.  A.  I  offer  the  following  resolution. 
Whereas,  dogs  are  subject  to  rabies,  and  are 
thereby  a  source  of  danger  in  the  community, 
and 

Whereas,  their  barking  destroys  sleep,  and  is 
afflictive  both  to  the  sick  and  the  well,  and 

Whereas,  lawsuits  on  their  account  have  lately 
endangered  friendly  relations  in  this  neigh- 
borhood, be  it 

Resolved,  that  this  Association  print  and  dis- 
tribute in  this  township  carefully  prepared  lit- 
erature dissuading  householders  from  the  keep- 
ing of  dogs.  Sits. 

Mrs.  B.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
resolution.  Sits. 

Chair,  rises,  and  reads  the  resolution,  thert 
says,  the  resolution  is  open  to  debate.  Sits. 

Mrs.  (7.  rises.    Mr.  President. 
Chair.     Mr.  C. 

Mr.  C.  speaks.  During  the  last  year,  the 
flocks  of  sheep,  which  are  decorative  to  the  hills 
around  this  village  and  a  source  of  revenue  to 
their  owners,  have  been  worried — 

Mr.  D.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  raise  the 
question  of  consideration.  Sits.  Mr.  C.  sits. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      137 

Chair  rises.  The  question  of  consideration 
is  raised.  Those  in  favor  of  considering  the 
question  will  rise  and  stand  to  be  counted. 
Counts.  Be  seated.  Those  opposed  to  consid- 
eration of  the  question  will  rise.  Counts.  Be 
seated.  The  ayes  have  it  and  the  resolution 
will  be  considered.  Sits. 

Mr.  C.  rises,  and  without  again  getting  the 
floor,  which  is  his  by  right,  proceeds  with  his 
speech.  Others  follow  in  debate,  pro  and  con. 

Miss  E.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  that  a  com- 
mittee of  three  be  appointed  by  the  Chair,  to 
ascertain,  and  to  report  at  our  next  meeting, 
what  is  the  highest  pecuniary  value  of  any  dog 
now  kept  in  this  village.  Sits. 

Chair.  That  motion  is  not  now  in  order,  as 
there  is  already  a  principal  motion  before  the 
assembly. 

Mr.  D.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  the  indefinite 
postponement  of  this  question.  Sits. 

Mrs.  D.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
motion.  Sits. 

Mr.  C.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  to  lay  the  ques- 
tion on  the  table.  Sits. 

Miss  C.  rises.    I  second  the  motion.    Sits. 
Chair  rises.     It  is  moved  to  lay  the  resolu- 


138  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE, 

tion  on  the  table.  Those  in  favor  of  so  doing 
will  say  aye. — Those  opposed  will  say  no. — The 
Chair  is  in  doubt.  Those  in  favor  of  laying 
the  resolution  on  the  table  will  rise  and  stand 
to  be  counted. — Be  seated.  Those  opposed  will 
rise. — Be  seated.  There  is  a  tie  and  the  mo- 
tion to  lay  on  the  table  is  lost. 

The  motion  for  indefinite  postponement  has 
been  made,  and  that  motion  is  now  open  to 
debate.  Sits. 

Dr.  F.  gets  the  Yoor.  I  ask  the  consent  of 
the  assembly  to  read  a  passage  from  a  late 
medical  journal,  concerning  the  number  of 
deaths  from  hydrophobia,  in  this  State,  during 
the  last  decade.  Sits. 

Mr.  A.  rises.     I  second  the  request.     Sits. 

Chair  rises.  Dr.  F.  asks  the  consent  of  the 
assembly  to  his  reading  from  a  medical  journal 
a  passage  bearing  upon  the  question  before 
us.  Those  consenting  will  say  aye. — Those 
opposed  will  say  no. — The  ayes  have  it,  and 
consent  is  given.  Sits. 

Dr.  F.  rises,  and  reads  the  passage.  After 
reading  he  continues  in  debate,  and  closes  by 
saying,  There  is  much  more  to  be  said  on  this 
topic,  but  I  see  that  my  time  has  lapsed.  Sits. 

Mr.  G.  gets  the  floor.    I  move  that  the  rule 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      139 

limiting  speakers  in  debate  to  ten  minutes  be 
suspended,  in  order  to  allow  Dr.  F.  as  much 
time  as  he  wishes  to  take  for  his  argument. 
88*. 

Mrs.  A.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
motion.  Sits. 

Chair  rises.  It  is  moved  and  seconded  to 
suspend  the  rule  limiting  debaters  to  ten  min- 
utes, in  order  that  Dr.  P.  may  continue  his 
speech.  Those  is  favor  of  this  will  rise. — Be. 
seated.  Those  opposed  will  rise.— Be  seated. 
There  are  nineteen  ayes  and  ten  noes.  The 
Chair  votes  with  the  ayes,  making  the  requisite 
two-thirds,  and  the  rule  is  suspended.  Dr.  F. 
has  the  floor. 

Dr.  F.  concludes  his  speech;  then  sits. 

Mr.  H.  gets  the  floor.  Many  dogs  are  kept 
by  residents  who  are  not  householders,  and  these 
dogs  are  as  subject  to  rabies  as  are  those  of 
householders.  I  agree  with  the  last  speaker  in 
considering  one  citizen  to  be  of  greater  value 
than  all  the  dogs  in  the  town;  but  I  see  no 
reason  why  we  should  apply  dissuasion  from  the 
keeping  of  dogs,  to  householders  only.  I  move 
to  amend  the  resolution  by  striking  out  the 
word . 

ir,    The  motiori  to  amend  is  not  in  order; 


140  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

the  question  now  before  the  assembly  is  that 
of  indefinite  postponement. 

M r.  U.  I  move  the  Previous  Question  to  the 
motion  for  indefinite  postponement.  Sits. 

Miss  E.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
motion.  Sits. 

Chair  rises.  The  Previous  Question  is  moved 
to  the  motion  to  postpone  indefinitely.  Those 
in  favor  of  now  closing  debate  on  the  motion 
for  the  indefinite  postponement  of  the  resolu- 
tion, will  say  aye. — Those  opposed  will  say  no. 
— The  ayes  have  it  and  debate  is  closed. 

The  vote  will  now  be  taken  upon  the  indefi- 
nite postponement  of  the  resolution.  Those  in 
favor  of  its  indefinite  postponement  will  say 
aye. — Those  opposed  will  say  no. — The  noes 
have  it ;  the  resolution  is  still  before  the  assem- 
bly, and  subject  to  further  debate.  Sits. 

Mr.  II.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  to  amend  the 
resolution  by  striking  out  the  word  "household- 
ers" and  inserting  the  words  "all  residents." 
Sits. 

Chair.     Is  the  amendment  seconded? 

Mrs.  H.  rises.  I  second  the  amendement. 
Sits. 

Chair  rises.     It  is  moved  to  amend  the  reso- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      141 

lution  by  striking  out  the  word  "householders" 
and  inserting  the  words  "all  residents/'  mak- 
ing the  resolution  to  read  "literature  dissuading 
all  residents  from  the  keeping  of  dogs/'  Is 
there  any  debate  on  the  offered  amendment? 
Sits. 

Mrs.  I  gets  the  floor.  I  move  to  amend  the 
amendment  by  striking  out  the  words"  all  resi- 
dents" and  inserting  the  word  "people."  Sits. 

Chair.  The  offered  amendment  to  the 
amendment  is  not  in  order,  because  it  destroys 
the  offered  amendment.  If  the  amendment  is 
not  carried,  the  offered  amendment  to  the 
amendment  can  then  be  presented  in  the  form 
of  an  amendment  to  the  principal  motion. 

Mr.  M.  gets  the  floor.  It  would  perhaps  bet- 
ter express  the  views  of  a  majority  in  the  Asso- 
ciation to  say  "householders  and  all  residents." 
There  are  householders  who  are  not  residents, 
and  residents  who  are  not  householders.  If  the 
mover  of  the  amendment  will  withdraw  it,  I 
will  offer  an  amendment  in  this  form.  Sits. 

Mr.  H.  gets  the  floor.  Mr.  President,  I  ask 
to  withdraw  my  amendment.  Sits. 

Mrs.  II.  rises.     I  second  the  request.  Sits. 

Chair.  Is  there  any  objection  to  the  with- 
drawal of  the  amendment  proposed  by  Mr.  H. 


142  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

to  strike  out  the  word  "householders"  and  in- 
sert the  words  "all  residents?"  No  objection 
being  made,  Mr.  II.  may  withdraw  the  offered 
amendment. 

Mr.  11.  says :     I  withdraw  the  amendment. 

Mrs.  H.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  rise  to  a 
Parliamentary  inquiry. 

Chair.     The  lady  will  make  her  inquiry. 

Mrs.  H.  Would  it  now  be  in  order  to  refer 
this  resolution  to  a  committee  to  be  revised  and 
reported  upon  at  our  next  meeting  ? 

Chair.     That  would  be  in  order. 

Mrs.  H.  Then  I  move  that  the  resolution  be 
referred  to  a  committee  consisting  of  Mr.  A., 
Mrs.  B.  and  Mr.  M.  to  be  revised  and  reported 
upon  at  our  next  meeting.  Sits. 

Mrs.  I.  rises.     I  second  the  motion.  Sits. 

Chair  rises.  It  is  moved  to  refer  the  resolu- 
tion to  a  committee  consisting  of  Mr.  A.,  Mrs. 
B.  and  Mr.  M.  to  be  revised  and  reported  upon 
at  our  next  meeting.  Are  there  any  remarks 
on  this  motion?  Sits. 

Mrs.  N.  gets  the  floor.  To  our  next  meeting 
several  important  questions  have  been  post- 
poned, and  it  is  improbable  that  there  will  then 
be  time  for  the  report  of  any  committee  now 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      143 

appointed.  Desiring  the  resolution  before  us 
to  have  ample  and  unhurried  consideration,  I 
move  to  amend  the  motion  by  striking  out  the 
words  "to  be  revised  and  reported  upon  at  our 
next  meeting;"'  and  to  insert  the  words,  "for  its 
revision/ 

Mrs.  I.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
motion.  Sits. 

Chair  rises.  It  is  moved  to  amend  the  mo- 
tion to  refer  to  a  committee  by  striking  out  the 
words  "to  be  revised  and  reported  upon  at  our 
next  meeting,"  and  to  insert  the  words  "for  its 
revision,"  making  the  motion  to  be,  "to  refer 
the  resolution  to  a  committee  consisting  of  Mr. 
A.,  Mrs.  B.  and  Mr.  M.  for  its  revision."  Are 
there  any  remarks  on  the  proposed  amendment  ? 
Sits. 

Mr.  A.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  rise  for  in- 
formation. 

Chair.     The  member  will  state  his  inquiry. 

Mr.  A.  What  are  the  questions  ordered  for 
consideration  at  our  next  meeting?  Sits. 

Chair.  The  Secretary  will  answer  the  in- 
quiry. 

Secretary  rises  and  reads  from  the  minutes, 
mentioning  several  questions  that  will  at  the 
next  meeting  be  orders  of  the  day.  Sits. 


144  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

Chair.     Are  you  ready  for  the  question? 
Several  voices.     Question !  Question ! 

Chair  rises.  The  vote  will  be  taken  on  the 
amendment  to  strike  out  the  words  "to  be  re- 
vised and  reported  upon  at  our  next  meeting," 
and  inserting  the  words  "for  revision."  Those 
agreeing  to  this  amendment,  will  say  aye.— 
Those  opposing  it  will  say  no. — The  ayes  have 
it,  and  the  amendment  is  agreed  to.  The  ques- 
tion is  now  upon  referring  the  resolution  to  a 
committee.  Are  there  any  further  remarks  or 
amendments  ? 

Mr.  D.  rises,  gets  the  floor.  I  move  to  amend 
the  motion  for  referring  to  a  committee,  by  add- 
ing to  the  names  mentioned  those  of  Mr.  0.  and 
Mr.  P.  Sits. 

Mrs.  D.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
motion.  Sits. 

Chair.  It  is  moved  to  amend  the  motion,  by 
adding  to  the  names  on  the  committee  those  of 
Mr.  0.  and  Mr.  P.  Are  there  any  remarks? 
None  are  made. 

Is  there  any  objection  to  adding  these 
names?  No  objection  being  made,  the  names 
of  Mr.  0.  and  Mr.  P.  are  added  to  those  already 
mentioned  in  the  motion  to  refer.  Is  there 
any  debate  on  the  amended  motion  ?  The  ques- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      145 

tion  now  to  be  voted  upon  is,  "Will  the  Asso- 
ciation refer  the  resolution  to  a  committee  con- 
sisting of  Mr.  A.,  Mrs.  B.,  Mr.  M.,  Mr.  0.  and 
Mr.  P.  for  revision?"  Those  in  favor  of  this 
will  say  aye — Those  opposed  will  say  no. — The 
ayes  have  it  and  the  resolution  is  so  referred. 
Sits. 

Mr.  A.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  that  when  we 
adjourn  we  adjourn  to  meet  in  this  place  next 
Saturday  morning  at  ten  o'clock.  Sits. 

Mrs.  C.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
motion.  Sits. 

Chair  rises.  It  is  moved  that  when  we  ad- 
journ we  adjourn  to  meet  in  this  place  next 
Saturday  morning  at  ten  o'clock.  Is  there  any 
discussion  ?  Sits. 

Mr.  A.  gets  the  floor.  There  is  much  un- 
finished business  to  be  attended  to^more  than 
the  Association  seems  quite  able  to  overtake.  By 
the  holding  of  an  adjourned  meeting  we  might 
be  able  to  reach  a  conclusion  concerning  the  dis- 
puted uses  of  the  baseball  ground,  and  we  might 
also  act  on  the  report  of  the  committee  now  ap- 
pointed for  the  revision  of  the  resolutions  con- 
cerning dogs.  Spring  is  approaching,  and  any 
action  taken  in  consequence  of  the  adoption  of 
the  resolution  would  be  now  most  opportune.  I 
hope  that  all  members  will  willingly  give  a  few 


146      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

hours  before  the  next  regular  meeting,  to  the 
business  of  the  Association.    Sits. 

Mrs.  M.  gets  the  floor.  It  will  be  difficult 
for  some  of  our  members  to  attend  the  Satur- 
day morning  meeting.  I  move  to  amend  the 
motion  by  striking  out  the  words,  "morning 
at  ten  o'clock,"  a£ud  inserting,  "evening  at 
eight  o'clock."  Sits. 

Mr.  M.  rises.  I  second  the  amendment. 
Sits. 

Chair  rises.  It  is  moved  to  amend  the  mo- 
tion by  striking  out  the  words  "morning  at 
ten  o'clock,"  and  inserting  the  words  "even- 
ing at  eight  o'clock,"  making  the  time  of  the 
adjourned  meeting  to  be  Saturday  evening  at 
eight  o'clock. 

Miss  E.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  to  amend 
by  striking  out  "Saturday"  and  inserting 
"Friday."  Saturday  night  is . 

Chair.  The  last  motion  is  out  of  order. 
There  is  one  primary  amendment  before  the 
assembly,  and  another  cannot  be  made  until 
this  is  disposed  of.  The  question  is  on  the 
amendment,  proposed  by  Mrs.  M.  Miss  E.  sits. 
Chair  sits. 

Mr.  J.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  rise  to  a 
question  of  privilege. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      147 

Chair.  The  gentleman  will  state  his  ques- 
tion. 

Mr.  J.  The  Janitor  has  just  informed  me, 
as  Chairman  of  the  House  Committee,,  that  the 
Good  Templars  of  this  village  have  made  ap- 
plication for  the  use  of  these  rooms  on  every 
Saturday  evening  until  the  first  of  October 
next.  The  Committee  desires  instruction  from 
the  Association  as  to  whether  the  rooms  shall 
be  rented,  and  if  so  at  what  rental.  Sits. 

Chair.  The  question  is  one  of  privilege. 
What  is  the  pleasure  of  the  Association  in  re- 
gard to  the  renting  of  these  rooms? 

Mr.  N.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  that  the  rooms 
of  the  Association  be  rented  to  the  Good  Temp- 
lars, for  their  use  on  all  Saturday  evenings 
till  the  first  of  October  next,  for  the  sum  of 
two  hundred  dollars,  to  be  prepaid.  Sits. 

Mrs.  B.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
motion.  Sits. 

Chair  rises,  states  the  question,  and  calls 
for  debate:  debate  follows;  amendment  is  of- 
fered to  strike  out  "prepaid"  and  insert  "paid 
on  the  first  day  of  May"  and  this  is  seconded 
and  stated. 

Mrs.  A.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  the  Previous 
Question.  Sits. 


148      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

Mrs.  L.  rises.     I  second  the  motion. 

Chair  rises.  The  previous  Question  is 
moved.  Those  in  favor  of  now  closing  debate 
will  say  aye. — Those  opposed  will  say  no. 
The  vote  is  unanimously  affirmative  and  debate 
is  closed.  The  question  is  now  upon  agreeing 
to  the  amendment,  to  strike  out  "prepaid"  and 
insert  "paid  on  the  first  day  of  May."  Those 
agreeing  to  this  amendment  will  say  aye. — 
Those  opposed  will  say  no. — The  noes  have  it 
and  the  amendment  is  not  agreed  to.  The  priv- 
ileged question  will  now  be  put  to  vote.  Those 
in  favor  of  renting  the  rooms  of  the  Associa- 
tion to  the  Good  Templars  of  this  village  for 
their  use  on  all  Saturday  evenings  till  the  first 
of  October  next,  for  the  sum  of  two  hundred 
dollars,  to  be  prepaid,  will  raise  the  right  hand. 
The  Secretary  will  count. — The  count  is  made. 
Those  opposed  will  manifest  it  in  the  same 
manner. — The  count  is  made. — Secretary  gives 
result  to  Chair. — The  noes  have  it  and  the  mo- 
tion is  lost. 

The  question  is  again  on  the  amendment  to 
the  principal  motion.  Those  agreeing  to  strike 
out  the  words  "morning  at  ten  o'clock,"  and 
to  insert  the  words,  "evening  at  eight  o'clock," 
making  the  time  of  the  proposed  meeting  to 
be  Saturday  evening  at  eight  o'clock,  will  say 
aye.— Those  not  agreeing  will  say  no. — The 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      149 

ayes  have  it  and  the  amendment  is  agreed  to. 
Are  there  any  remarks  on  the  amended  mo- 
tion ?  Debate  follows,  and  is  closed  by  ordering 
the  Previous  Question.  Then  the  vote  is  taken 
on  the  motion  for  an  adjourned  meeting  and 
the  motion  is  carried. 

Mr.  R.  gets  the  floor  and  introduces  a  motion 
that  the  Association  invite  Mrs.  X.  to  give  an 
address  at  the  meeting  of  June  3rd.  This  is 
seconded,  and  is  stated  by  the  Chair.  Mr.  V. 
has  the  floor  and  is  speaking. 

Mr.  M.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  move  to  re- 
consider the  motion  to  hold  an  adjourned  meet- 
ing next  Saturday  evening.  Sits. 

Mrs.  H.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  second  the 
motion.  Sits. 

Chair.  The  Secretary  will  record  the  mo- 
tion to  reconsider  the  question  of  an  adjourned 
meeting. 

Mr.  V.  continues  his  speech. 

Mr.  T.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  rise  to  a  point 
of  order. 

Chair.  The  member  will  state  his  point  of 
order. 

Mr.  T.  We  have  a  By-law  requiring  the 
first  meeting  in  each  month  to  be  an  executive 


150  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

meeting,  and  another  rule  excluding  visitors 
from  the  executive  meetings.  The  motion  now 
before  the  house  is  inconsistent  with  these 
rules.  Sits. 

Chair.  The  point  of  order  is  well  taken,  and 
the  last  motion  is  overruled. 

The  reconsideration  of  the  question  relat- 
ing to  an  adjourned  meeting  is  now  in  order. 
The  Secretary  will  read  the  question. 

Secretary  rises  and  reads  from  the  minutes. 
Mr.  A.,  seconded  by  Mrs.  C.,  moved  that  when 
we  adjourn  we  adjourn  to  meet  next  Satur- 
day morning  at  ten  o'clock.  It  was  moved  to 
amend  this  motion  by  striking  out -"morning 
at  10  o'clock,"  and  inserting  evening  at 
eight  o'clock,"  and  this  amendment  was  adopt- 
ed. The  amended  motion,  that  when  we  ad- 
journ we  adjourn  to  meet  next  Saturday  even- 
ing at  eight  o'clock  was  carried.  Sits. 

Chair.  Is  there  any  debate  on  the  motion 
to  reconsider? 

Mr.  M.  gets  the  floor.  Since  this  motion 
was  carried  I  have  received  a  telegram  an- 
nouncing the  arrival  of  the  Governor  of  the 
State  on  Saturday  next,  and  that  he  will  ad- 
dress the  citizens  of  the  village  on  Saturday 
evening,  in  the  Stone  Church.  Under  these 
circumstances,  the  members  of  the  Association 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      151 

will   doubtless  prefer  being  free  from  duties 
here  on  Saturday  evening.     Sits. 

Chair.  Are  there  any  other  remarks?  If 
not,  the  vote  will  be  taken  on  the  motion  to 
reconsider.  Those  in  favor  of  reconsideration 
will  say  aye. — Those  opposed  will  say  no. — 
The  ayes  have  it  and  the  motion  now  before 
the  house  is  that  when  we  adourn  we  adjourn 
to  meet  next  Saturday  evening  at  eight 
o'clock. 

Mrs.  A.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  to  amend 
the  motion  by  striking  out  the  word  "Saturday" 
and  inserting  the  word  "Thursday,"  making 
the  time  of  the  meeting  to  be  Thursday  even- 
ing at  eight  o'clock.  Sits. 

Mrs.  M.  seconds  the  amendment;  the  Chair 
states  the  amendment,  asks  for  debate  on  it, 
puts  it  to  vote  and  when  it  is  carried  asks  for 
debate  on  the  amended  motion;  there  being 
no  debate  it  is  immediately  put  to  vote,  and  is 
carried. 

Mr.  K.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  that  this  As- 
sociation rent  for  the  months  of  April,  May, 
June,  July,  August  and  September  the  portion 
of  land  known  as  Forest  Meadow,  to  be  used  as 
a  tennis  court  by  members  and  their  guests, 
Sits, 


152  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

Mr.  Y.  seconds  the  motion;  the  Chair  states 
it,  and  calls  for  debate. 

Miss  G.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  to  amend 
the  motion  by  striking  out  the  words  "April, 
May,"  at  the  beginning  of  the  names  of  months, 
and  inserting  the  words  "October  and  Novem- 
ber," at  the  end.  Sits. 

This  is  seconded,  stated,  and  debated. 

Mr.  Y.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  that  this  ques- 
tion be  considered  informally.  This  is  second- 
ed, and  stated. 

Miss  E.  rises.  Mr.  President,  I  rise  to  a 
point  of  order. 

Chair.  The  lady  will  state  her  point  of 
order. 

Miss  E.  There  is  an  amendment  before  the 
assembly,  and  the  motion  to  consider  infor- 
mally is  therefore  not  in  order. 

Chair.    The  point  of  order  is  not  well  taken. 

Miss  E.  I  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the 
Chair.  Sits. 

Mr.  Q.  rises.    I  second  the  appeal.    Sits. 

Chair  rises.  The  decision  of  the  Chair  on 
the  point  of  order  is  appealed  from,  and  the 
question  now  before  the  assembly  is,  shall  the 
decision  of  the  Chair  stand  as  the  judgment 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  153 

of  the  assembly  ?  The  Chair  considers  that  the 
incidental  motion  as  to  method  of  consideration, 
being  immediately  applicable,  outranks  the  mo- 
tion to  amend.  Miss  E.  has  the  floor.  Sits. 

Miss  E.  does  not  take  the  floor. 
Chair.     Is  there  any  discussion, 

Mr.  B.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  the  Previous 
Question.  Sits. 

Mr.  J.  rises.     I  second  the  motion.     Sits. 

Chair  rises.  The  Previous  Question  is  moved. 
Those  in  favor  of  now  closing  debate  on  the 
appeal  will  say  aye. — Those  opposed  will  say 
no. — The  ayes  have  it  and  debate  is  closed. 
Shall  the  decision  of  the  Chair  stand  as  the 
judgment  of  the  assembly?  Those  sustaining 
the  judgment  of  the  Chair  will  say  aye. — Those 
opposed  will  say  no. — The  ayes  have  it  and  the 
judgment  of  the  Chair  is  sustained. 

The  vote  will  now  be  taken  on  the  motion 
to  consider  informally  the  question  of  renting 
Forest  Meadow. — Those  in  favor  of  informal 
consideration  will  say  aye. — Those  opposed  will 
say  no. — The  noes  have  it  and  the  question  will 
not  be  considered  informally.  Debate  is  now 
in  order,  upon  the  offered  amendment,  to  strike 
out  the  words  "April,  May/'  and  insert  the 
words  "October  and  November/'  Sits. 


154      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

Mr.  H.  gets  the  floor.  May  is  one  of  the 
best  months  for  out-of-door  games.  I  move 
to  amend  the  amendment  by  striking  out  the 
word  "May."  Bits. 

The  motion  is  seconded,  stated,  debated,  voted 
upon  and  carried.  The  proposed  amendment  is 
further  amended  by  striking  out  "November" 

Chair  rises.  If  there  be  no  further  debate 
on  the  amended  amendment  it  will  be  put  to 
vote.  Will  the  assembly  agree  to  strike  out 
the  word  "April,"  and  insert  the  word  "Octo- 
ber?"— This  amendment  is  adopted. 

The  question  now  before  the  assembly  is  the 
amended  motion,  that  this  Association  rent  for 
the  months  of  May,  June,  July,  August,  Sep- 
tember and  October,  the  portion  of  land  known 
as  Forest  Meadow,  to  be  used  as  a  tennis-court 
by  members  and  their  guests.  Is  there  further 
debate? 

Mr.  F.  gets  the  floor.  I  move  to  postpone  this 
question  till  next  Thursday  evening  at  half 
past  eight  o'clock.  Sits. 

This  is  seconded,  stated,  and  is  carried. 

Mr.  F.  rises.  I  move  that  we  do  now  adjourn. 
Sits. 

This  is  seconded,  stated,  put  to  vote  and 
carried. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      155 

The  answers  to  the  following  questions  may 
be  found  in,  or  derived  from,  the  text, 
and  all  students  should  be  able  to  reply 
correctly  to  any  of  them. 

1.  What  distinguishes  a  main  question  from 
all  other  questions? 

Ans.  It  is  the  question,  motion,  or  resolution 
that  was  introduced  when  there  was  no 
other  business  before  the  assembly,  accord- 
ing with  parliamentary  form,  etc.,  etc. 

2.  How  is  a  main  question  properly  intro- 
duced ? 

3.  Under  what  circumstances  may  the  Chair 
refuse  to  state  a  main  question  ? 

4.  Give  several  reasons  for  the  requirement 
that  motions  shall  be  seconded  before  being 
stated  by  the  Chair? 

5.  What  is  the  correct  way  of  seconding  a 
motion  ? 

6.  What  is  meant  by  stating  a  motion? 

7.  What   does  the   Chair  say  immediately 
after  the  stating  of  any  main  question? 

8.  At  what  time  does  the  Chair  stand? 

9.  Is  every  main  question  debatable? 
10.     Is  every  main  question  amendable? 


156  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

11.  What  is  meant  by  the  terms  getting  the 
floor  and  giving  the  floor? 

12.  What  advantages  accrue  to  the  assembly 
through  the  Chair  being  able  to  give  the 
floor  at  his  option? 

13.  Can  the  Chair  be  called  to  order  on  ac- 
count of  giving  the  floor  to  another  mem- 
ber than  the  one  who  first  rises  to  speak? 

14.  What  redress   has   the   assembly  if  the 
Chair  abuse  his  power,  or  use  it  in  the  ser- 
vice of  a  faction  ? 

15.  Does  the  seconder  get  the  floor? 

16.  Is  it  necessary  for    every    speaker    in 
debate  to  get  the  floor? 

17.  Give  rules  governing  speakers  in  debate. 

18.  What  is  the  purpose  of  debate? 

19.  After  a  main  question  has  been  intro- 
duced, how  can  it  be  removed  from  be- 
fore the  assembly? 

20.  When  a  vote  is  taken  by  common  or 
general   consent,   what   dfoes  the   Chair 
say  in  taking  the  vote  ? 

21.  Is  there  any  difference  between  a  unani- 
mous vote  and  a  vote  by  general  consent? 

22.  When  is  an  officer  of  government  elect- 
ed by  a  plurality  vote? 

23.  Give  examples  of  a  two-thirds  negative 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      157 

vote,  and  of    a    four-fifths    affirmative 
vote. 

What  does  the  Chair  say  in  taking  a  vote 
by  acclamation? 

How  does  the  Chair  announce  the  re- 
sult of  a  vote  taken  by  acclamation? 

Can  any  other  than  a  majority  vote  be 
determined  by  acclamation? 

What  is  a  division  of  the  house,  and  how 
may  it  be  accomplished? 

What  does  the  Chair  say  when  taking  a 
vote  by  the  raising  of  hands  ? 

What  is  the  purpose  in  taking  a  vote  by 
yeas  and  nays? 

Describe  in  full  the  process  of  taking  a 
vote  by  yeas  and  nays. 
Can  a  vote  taken  by  yeas  and  nays  be 
reconsidered  ? 

When  does  the  Chair  vote,  if  the  vote  be 
taken  by  yeas  and  nays  ? 
What   distinguishes  the   vote  by  ballot 
from  all  other  methods  of  voting? 
What  is  the  work  of  Tellers  in  the  tak- 
ing of  a  vote? 

What  is  the  work  of  Inspectors  when  a 
vote  is  by  ballot? 


158      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

36.  Describe  the  process   of  taking  a  vote 
by  ballot. 

37.  Mention  nine  or  more  methods  of  voting, 
and  for  each  method  state  circumstances 
under  which  that  method  would  be  ex- 
pedient. 

38.  Is  it  ever  proper  for  the  Chair  to  omit 
taking  the  negative  vote? 

39.  May  the  mover  vote  against  his  own 
motion  ? 

40.  May  the  mover  or  the  seconder  speak 
against  the  motion? 

41.  May  the  mover  amend  his  own  motion? 

42.  If  there  were  a  tie  in  a  vote  taken  by 
ballot    would    the    Chair    then    have    a 
casting  vote? 

43.  May  a  vote  taken  by  ballot  be  recon- 
sidered ? 

44.  May  any  vote  taken  for  an  election  be 
reconsidered  ? 

45.  May  any  vote  be  reconsidered  later  than 
the  day  on  which  it  was  taken  ? 

46.  May  any  vote  be  reconsidered  if  action 
consequent  upon  the  vote  has  followed 
it? 

47.  Mention  votes  that  would  be  a  tie,  and 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      159 

votes   that   would   show  a  majority  of 
one. 

48.  When  the  vote  is  a  tie,  is  the  motion 
carried  or  lost  ? 

49.  If  the  Chair  votes  when  there  is  a  tie, 
on  which  side  does  the  Chair  vote? 

50.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  voting  to 
make  a  tie? 

51.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  casting  vote? 

52.  If  there  be  a  majority  of  more  than  one, 
can  the   vote   of  the   Chair   affect  the 
result  ? 

53.  Give  examples  in  which  the  vote  of  the 
Chair  turns  the  result  from  affirmative 
to  negative,  and  others  in  which  it  turns 
the  result  from  negative  to  affirmative. 

54.  Give  examples  in  which  the  vote  of  the 
Chair  changes  the  result  in  a  vote  upon 
the  Question  of  Consideration. 

55.  Give  examples  in  which  the  vote  of  the 
Chair  changes  the  result  in  a  vote  upon 
the  Previous  Question. 

56.  Give  examples  in  which  the  vote  of  the 
Chair  changes  the  result  in  a  vote  upon 
the  suspension  of  a  rule. 

57.  Give  examples  in  which  the  vote  of  the 
Chair  changes  the  result  in  a  vote  upon 
the  main  question. 


160  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

58.  When  is  a  question  said  to  be  pending? 

59.  Is  the  vote  of  the  Chair  more  powerful 
than  the  vote  of  any  other  member? 

60.  Is  every  member  required  to  vote? 

61.  Can  a  question  be  determined,  affirma- 
tively or     negatively,     when   only   one 
member  votes  upon  it? 

62.  How  many  questions  are  there  that  are 
permitted  to  interrupt  a  speaker  to  whom 
the  floor  has  been  given? 

63.  What  justification  has    each     of    these 
questions  for  interrupting  a  speaker? 

64.  How  many  questions  require  more  than 
a  majority  vote  for  their  determination? 

65.  What    justification    has    each    of    these 
questions  for  requiring  more  than  a  ma- 
jority? 

66.  How  many  ways  are  there  of  permanent- 
ly getting  rid  of  a  main  question,  other 
than  by  a  direct  negative  vote  upon  it? 

67.  How  many  ways  are  there  of  temporarily 
getting  rid  of  a  main  question  ? 

68.  How  many  motions  are  classified  as  sub- 
sidiary ? 

69.  How  many  of  the  subsidiary  motions  are 
applicable  to   any  other  question  than 
the  main  question? 


PARLIAMENT AEY   PROCEDURE.  161 

70.  Which    subsidiary    motion    applies    to 

nothing  beside  the  main  question? 

71.  Is     the  Question  of     Consideration  ever 
raised  by  a  supporter  of  the  main  ques- 
tion? 

72.  How  long  may  the  first  speaker  in  debate 
continue  to  speak,  before  the  Question  of 
Consideration  becomes  inadmissible? 

73.  Before  debate  had  begun  and  as  soon  as 
the  main  question  was  stated  by  the  Chair, 
the     motion     to     commit       was     made, 
seconded,  and  stated  by  the  Chair.    Might 
the   Question   of    Consideration   be   then 
raised  ? 

74.  As  soon  as  the  main  question  was  stated, 
the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  was  made, 
seconded,  and  stated.    Was  it  then  too  late 
to  raise  the  Question  of  Consideration? 

75.  As  soon  as  the  main  question  was  stated, 
a  question  of  order  was  raised  as  to  con- 
flict between  the  main  question  and  the 
standing  rules.     This   question  of  order 
was  settled  in  the  negative.    Was  it  then 
too  late  to  raise  the  Question  of  Consid- 
eration ? 

76.  As  soon  as  the  main  question  was  stated, 
a  motion  was  made  to  divide  the  main 
question,  and  the  motion  for  division  was 


162      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

voted  upon  and  lost.  Was  it  then  too 
late  to  raise  the  Question  of  Considera- 
tion? 

77.  As  soon  as  the  main  question  was  stated, 
Mr.   A.  moved  to  amend,  and  this  was 
seconded ;  Mr.  B.  moved  to  postpone  to  t 
certain  time,  and  this  was  seconded;  Mr. 
C.  moved  to  lay  on  the  table,  and  this  was 
seconded,  and  Mr.  D.  raised  the  Question 
of  Consideration.     Which  of  these  subsi- 
diary motions  should  the  Chair  first  state? 

78.  What   justifies   an   assembly's   refusal   to 
consider  a  question  properly  introduced, 
and  not  in  conflict  with  its  rules? 

79.  Can  the  Chair  alone  decide  that  a  ques- 
tion shall  not  be  considered  ? 

80.  If  there  were  twenty-four  members  in  an 
assembly  how  many  would  need  to  votf 
affirmatively  in  order  to  secure  considera- 
tion   of  the  question  ? 

81.  If  the   Question   of   Consideration   were 
raised  and  nine  voted  in  favor  of  con- 
sideration, how  many  would  have  to  vote 
no  in  order  to  prevent  consideration  ? 

82.  If   the    Question   of    Consideration   wsre 
raised,  and  seven  voted  affirmatively,  and 
fourteen  voted  negatively,  how  could  the 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  163 

Chair  secure   consideration   of   the   ques- 
tion? 

83.  If  the   Question  of   Consideration   were 
raised,  and  fourteen  voted  affirmatively, 
and  twenty-seven  voted    negatively,    how 
could  the  Chair  prevent  the  consideration 
of  the  question  ? 

84.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  announcing 
the  result  of  a  vote  on  the  Question  of 
Consideration  ? 

85.  What  becomes  of  a     question     that     the 
assembly  refuses  to  consider? 

86.  Why  is  a  question  that  the  assembly  has 
refused  to  consider  recorded  in  the  min- 
utes as  thus  disposed  of? 

87.  When  the  Question  of  Consideration  has 
been  stated  by  the  Chair,  can  it  be  super- 
seded by  any  other  question? 

88.  When   an   assembly  has   decided  to  con- 
sider a  question,  and  has  begun  to  consider 
it,  either  by  debating  it,  or  by  applying 
any  other  subsidiary  motion  or  any  inci- 
dental motion  to  it,  may  the  assembly-then 
reconsider  its  vote  on  the  Question  of  Con- 
sideration ? 

p9;  The  Chair  has  stated  that  the  Question  of 
Consideration  is  raised.  Is  the  motion  to 
ladjourn  at  that  instant  in  order? 


164  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

90.  What  power  has  a  unanimous  vote? 

91.  How  soon  may  the  assembly  take  up  a 
question  that  it  has  laid  on  the  table? 

92.  If  a  question  laid  on  the  table  is  not  taken 
up  before  the  end  of  the  session,  what  be- 
comes of  it? 

93.  What  is  the  difference  between  a  meeting 
and  a  session  ? 

94.  What  is  the  smallest  number  of  meetings 
that  may  be  in  a  session? 

95.  What  is  said  by  the  mover  of  the  motion 
to  lay  on  the  table? 

96.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  taking  the 
vote  upon  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  ? 

97.  If  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  is  car- 
ried when  amendments  are  pending,  what 
becomes  of  the  amendments? 

98.  Can  any  amendment  be  laid  on  the  table 
without  laying  the  main  question  on  the 
table? 

99.  If  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  were 
made,  and  then  a  motion  to  suspend  a 
rule  were  made,  which  of  these  two  mo- 
tions should  the  Chair  state? 

100.  If  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  had  been 
stated,  and  at  that  moment  a  member 
rose  to  a  point  of  order,  what  should  the 
Chair  then  do? 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  165 

101.  If  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  had 
been  stated,  and  at  that  moment  a  mem- 
ber moved  to  adjourn,  and  the  latter  mo- 
tion were  seconded,  what  should  the  Chair 
then  do? 

102.  Mention  several  reasons  why  the  friends 
of  a  proposition  might  wish  to  lay  it  on 
the  table. 

103.  Mention  several  reasons  why  the  enemies 
of  a  measure  might  wish  to  lay  it  on  the 
table. 

104.  Is  the  motion  to  take  from  the  table  made 
by  the  friends  or  by  the  enemies  of  the 
measure  ? 

105.  What  is  the  condition  of  a  question  when 
taken  from  the  table? 

106.  What  is  said  by  the  mover  of  a  motion  to 
take  from  the  table? 

107.  If  a  member  says,  "I  move  to  lay  this 
question  on  the  table  until  our  next  meet- 
ing," and  this  is  seconded,  how  should  the 
Chair  state  the  motion? 

108.  How  many  times  can  a  question  be  laid 
on  the  table  and  again  taken  up? 

109.  If  a  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  is  lost, 
how  soon  may  it  be  again  made? 

110.  If  a  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  is  nega- 
tively decided,  can  that  negative  vote  be 


166  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

reconsidered,  and  if  so,  what  is  the  limit 
of  the  time  within  which  it  can  be  re- 
considered ? 

111.  When  a  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  is 
affirmatively  decided,  why  may  the  vote 
not  be  reconsidered? 

>  ->    112.  Who  may  move  to  take  a  question  from 
the  table? 

^q  113.  When  may  a  question  be  taken  from  the 
table? 

114.  What  vote  is  required  in  taking  a  question 
from  the  table? 

115.  Is  the  motion  to  take  from  the  table  de- 
batable? 

116.  Why  cannot  an  affirmative  vote  to  take 
from  the  table  be  reconsidered? 

117.  How  soon  may  a  negative  vote  on  the  mo- 
tion to  take  from  the  table  be  reconsid- 
ered? 

118.  What  is  the  difference  in  effect  between 
the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  and  the 
motion  to  postpone  to  a  certain  time? 

119.  What  is  the  difference  in  effect  between 
the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  and  the 
motion  to  postpone  indefinitely? 

120.  What  may  be  said  by  a  member  who  thinks 
further  debate  unprofitable? 


PABLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      167 

121.  When  the  Previous    Question    is    moved 
without  specification  or  limitation  by  the 
mover,  to  what  does  it  apply? 

122.  To  what  questions  may  the  Previous  Ques- 
tion be  applied? 

133.  To  what  questions  may  the  motion  to  lay 
on  the  table  be  applied? 

124.  To  what  questions  may  the  motion  to  take 
from  the  table  be  applied? 

1.25.  How  many  debatable  questions  are  there? 

126.  Are  any  of  the  incidental  questions  de- 
batable? 

127.  Is  any  privileged  motion  debatable? 

128.  May  any  question  of  privilege  be  debated 
before  the  Chair  or  the  assembly  has  de- 
cided that  it  shall  be  privileged? 

129.  May  the  Previous  Question  be  applied  to 
debate  on  an  appeal? 

130.  May  the  Previous  Question  be  applied  to 
the  motion  to  reconsider? 

131.  Which   of   the   seven   subsidiary  motions 
are  debatable? 

132.  What  is  the  difference  in  the  degree  of 
debatability  of  the  subsidiary  motions? 

133.  What  determines  the  degree  of  the  de- 
batability of  any  subsidiary  motion? 


168  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

134.  Why  is  it  necessary  to  be  able  to  shut  off 

debate  ? 

i       135.  Should    subsidiary    motions    be    written 
when  made? 

136.  What  motions  other  than  the  main  ques- 
tion should  bo  presented  in  writing? 

137.  By  what  vote  is  debate  closed  in  the  Brit- 
ish Parliament? 

138.  Why  is  a  larger  vote  required    in    the 
United  States? 

y     139.  Is  the  motion  to  close  debate  debatable? 

140.  Suppose  the  Previous   Question  to  have 
"*^  been  ordered  on  the  motion  that  the  So- 
ciety deposit  its  funds  in  the  H.  B.  Bank, 
and  at  that  instant  a  member  opens  a 
telegram   warning   him   that   the   H.    B. 
Bank  is  unsound.    How  can  a  member  in 
a  parliamentary  manner  prevent  the  de- 
posit of  the  funds  in  the  unsound  bank? 

141.  May  the  motion  to  reconsider  an  unde- 
batable  question  be  debated? 

142.  Should  debate  be  closed  before  it  has  been 
exhausted  ? 

':      143.  May  all  debate  be  forestalled  by  ordering 

the  Previous  Question? 

144.  May  the  introducer  of  a  proposition  in- 
clude in  it  the  motion  that  it  be  adopted 
without  debate? 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      169 

145.  How  could  such  a  proposition  be  made 
debatable? 

146.  What  motions  equal  the  Previous  Ques- 
tion in  rank? 

147.  If  an  amendment  to  an  amendment  were 
pending,  and  the  Previous  Question  were 
ordered  without  limitation,  in  what  order 
would  the  questions  then  before  the  as- 
sembly be  voted  upon  ? 

148.  Is  the  motion  to  adjourn  in  order  when 
the  Previous  question  is  pending? 

149.  Is  the  request  for  the  reading  of  a  paper 
in  order  when  the  Previous  Question  is 
pending  ? 

150.  Ts  a  motion  to  suspend  a  rule  in  order 
when  the  Previous  Question  is  pending? 

151.  Is  the  Question  of  Consideration  in  order 
when  the  Previous  Question  is  pending? 

152.  After  the  Previous  Question  has  been  or- 
dered, may  the  main  qiiestion  be  laid  on 
the  tablet 

153.  After  the  debate  on  the  main  question 
has  been  closed  by  vote,  may  the  main 
question  be  postponed  to  a  certain  time? 

154.  After  debate  on  the  main  question  has 
been  closed  by  vote,,  may  any  one  debate 
that  question? 

155.  After  the  Previous  Question  is  ordered, 


170      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

and  before  the  vote  on  the  main  question 
is  taken,  is  it  in  order  to  move  to  ad- 
journ? 

156.  If  debate  on  the  main  question  were  closed 
by  vote,  and  adjournment  were  effected 
before  the  question  had  been  put  to  vote, 
when  would  the  question  be  voted  upon? 

157.  On  the  motion  to  close  debate  there  are 
21   ayes  and  11  noes.     The  Chair  does 
not  approve  of  present  closing  of  the  de- 
bate. What  does  the  Chair  say  in  announc- 
ing the  result  of  the  vote? 

158.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  taking  a 
vote  on  the  Previous  Question? 

159.  Is  the  main  question  always  put  as  soon 
as  debate  upon  it  is  closed? 

1 60.  If  the  Chair  called  for  a  vote  on  the  ques- 
tion, "Shall  the  Main  Question  be  now 
put?"  and  the  vote  thereupon  were  af- 
firmative, could  the  assembly  adjourn  be- 
fore voting  upon  the  main  question  ? 

161.  What  subsidiary  motions  may  be  applied 
to  the  main  question  after  the  ordering  of 
the  Previous  Question? 

162.  What  Privileged  Questions  may  be  intro- 
duced after  ordering  the  closure  of  debate 
and  before  taking  the  vote  on  the  main 
question? 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  171 

163.  What  incidental  questions  may  be  intro- 
duced in  the  interval  between  the  closure 
of  debate  on  the  main  question  and  the 
putting  of  that  question  to  vote? 

164.  May  a  question  be  divided  after  debate 
upon  it  has  been  closed? 

165.  If  divided,  would  the  separate  parts  be 
then  debatable? 

166.  If  debate  were  closed  on  a  motion  to  post- 
pone to  a  certain  time,  is  debate  on  the 
main  question  closed  also? 

167.  Mention   several   reasons   for   fixing   the 
time  when  a  question  shall  be  taken  up. 

168.  After  a  motion  to  postpone  to  a  certain 
time  has  been  stated,  may  the  main  ques- 
tion be  then  debated? 

169.  What  is  always  the  subject  of  debate? 

170.  To  what  extent  may  the  motion  to  post- 
pone to  a  certain  time  be  debated  ? 

171.  To  what  extent  may  a  motion  to  postpone 
to  a  certain  time  be  amended? 

172.  For  what  length  of  time  may  a  question 
be  postponed? 

173.  May  a  question  be  postponed  to  a  time 
when  there  is  no  meeting? 

174.  When  a  question  is  postponed  and  is  not 
taken  up  before  the  end  of  the  session, 
what  becomes  of  it? 


172      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

175.  Within  what  length  of  time  may  the  vote 
on  a  motion  to  postpone  be  reconsidered? 

176.  May  a  question  postponed  to   a  certain 
time  be  taken  up  before  that  time  arrives  ? 

177.  When  the  time  to  which  a  question  was 
postponed  has  arrived,  what  is  that  ques- 
tion called? 

178.  Why  is  it  so  called? 

179.  If  the  Chair  does  not  bring  forward  the 
order  of  the  day,  how  may  any  member 
secure  attention  for  the  postponed  busi- 
ness? 

180.  What  is  the  rank  of  a  call  for  the  order 
of  the  day? 

181.  What  may  be  said  by  any  member  who 
prefers   going   on   with   business   already 
under  consideration? 

182.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  ascertain- 
ing the  will  of  the  assembly  in  relation 
to   the   business   to   which   it   shall   first 
attend? 

183.  What  becomes  of  business  to  which  present 
consideration  is  denied? 

184.  Tf   different   questions  have    been    post- 
poned, and  have  not  been  reached  at  the 
times  set  for  them,  in  what  order  must 
they  be  taken  up? 


PARLIAMENTAKY  PROOEDUBE.      173 

185.  If  the  assembly  desires  to  reach  quickly 
a  certain  piece  of  business,  what  can  it 
do  with  the  questions  that  come  before 
it,  in  orders  of  the  day? 

186.  How  is  an  assembly  protected  from  dull 
and  prolix  debaters? 

187.  Who  should  enforce  the  special  rule  lim- 
iting the  time  of  each  speaker  in  debate? 

188.  What  is  the  difference  in  the  effect  of  the 
two  motions:  to   postpone   to   a   certain 
day,  and  to  postpone  indefinitely? 

189.  Is  the  motion  to  postpone  to  a  certain  time 
made  by  the  friends  or  by  the  enemies  of 
the  proposition? 

190.  How  many  times  can  the  same  question 
be  made  an  order  of  the  day? 

191.  Who  may  call  for  an  order  of  the  day? 

192.  May  an  order  of  the  day,  after  being  taken 
up,  be  referred  to  a  committee,  or  post- 
poned indefinitely? 

193.  If  the  Chair  decides  that  a  certain  ques- 
tion shall  be  taken  up,  and  a  member 
thinks  that  some  other  question  should  be 
first  brought  forward,  how  is  the  differ- 
ence of  opinion  settled? 

194.  Is  an  appeal  relating  to  priority  of  busi- 
ness debatable? 


174      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

195.  How  is  every  disputed  question  settled? 

196.  What  is  a  committee? 

197.  Which  is  paramount,  the  committee  or 
the  assembly? 

198.  Mention  five  kinds  of  committees,  and  de- 
fine each  kind. 

199.  Mention  four  ways  in  which  a  committee 
may  be  created. 

200.  Give  the  form  of  a  motion  by  which  the 
committee  is  to  be  appointed  by  the  chair. 

201.  Give  the  form  of  a  resolution  naming 
the  members  of  a  committee. 

202.  Give  the  form  of  an  amendment  changing 
the  names  of  members  in  a  committee 
created   by   resolution. 

203.  Give  the  form  of  a  motion  for  the  crea- 
tion of  a  committee  by  nomination  from 
the  floor  and  election  by  acclamation. 

204.  Give  the  form  of  a  motion  for  reference 
to  a  committee  chosen  by  ballot. 

205.  Give  the  form  of  a  motion  for  reference 
to  a  committee  of  five  nominated  from  the 
floor  and  elected  by  plurality  vote  by  bal- 
lot. 

206.  Give  the  form  of  a  motion  for  creating  a 
committee  of  seven,  four  of  whom  shall 
be  nominated  from  the  floor  and  elected 


PARLIAMENTAKY  PBOCEDUBE.      175 

by  acclamation,  and  three  of  whom  shall 
be  appointed  by  the  Chair. 

207.  To  what  extent  is  the  motion  to  refer  to 
a  committee  debatable? 

208.  In  what  ways  may  a  motion  to  refer  to 
a  committee  be  amended  ? 

209.  If  a  motion  to  refer  to  a  committee  had 
been  stated,  and  at  that  moment  the  mo- 
tion to  lay  on  the  table  were  made,  voted 
upon  and  carried,  what  would  become  of 
the  motion  to  refer  to  a  committee? 

210.  If  amendments  are  pending  when  a  mo- 
tion is  referred  to  a  committee,  what  be- 
comes of  the  pending  amendments? 

211.  Who  is  the  temporary  chairman  of  a  com- 
mittee? 

212.  Who  is  the  permanent  chairman  of  a  com- 
mittee? 

213.  What  are  the  duties  of  a  chairman  of 
committee? 

214.  What  are  the  duties  of  a  secretary  in  a 
committee  ? 

215.  May  a  committee  act  by  separate  assent? 

216.  If  sub-committees  are  formed,  where  are 
they  formed  and  to  whom  do  they  re- 
port? 

217     What  is  the  rule  governing  the  number 
in  a  committee? 


176      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

218.  Must  the  mover  and  seconder  of  a  mo- 
tion be  members  of  a  committee  to  which 
that  motion  is  referred? 

219.  What   number  is   a  quorum   in   a  corn- 
mil  tee? 

220.  A  committee  of  five  was  created  for  the 
nomination  of  officers,  and  was  instructed 
to  report  at  the  next  meeting.     In  the 
interval  between  meetings,  two  went  to 
Europe ;  what  should  the  remaining  mem- 
bers do? 

221.  A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to 
nominate  officers,  and  to  report  at  the 
next  meeting.    Before  the  report  of  this 
committee  was  signed,  two  of  the  mem- 
bers resigned  from  the  committee.  What 
should  the  remaining  member  do? 

222.  A  standing  committee  of  three  was  cre- 
ated, with  the  duty  of  attending  to  the 
decoration  of  the    Club    Booms.     This 
committee  took  no  action.    What  should 
the  assembly  do? 

223.  Should  all  members  of  a  committee  sign 
the  report? 

224.  What  is  meant  by  a  minority  report,  and 
under  what  conditions  may  it  be  made? 

225.  Who  presents  the  report  of  a  commit- 
tee to  an  assembly? 


PABLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  177 

226.  What  is  the  reception  of  a  report? 

227.  What  is  the  difference  between  accepting 
a  report  and  adopting  a  report? 

228.  What  is  the  difference  between  receiv- 
ing a  report  and  accepting  a  report? 

229.  Who   receives   the  report  of  the  com- 
mittee? 

230.  What  is  the  smallest  number  of  copies 
that  should  be  made  for  presentation? 

231.  When  papers  have  been  handed  to  a  com- 
mittee   for    examination,    revision    or 
amendment,  how  should  the  papers  be 
used  by  the  committee? 

232.  When  a  member  desires  to  delay  the  re- 
ception of  the  report  of   a  committee 
what  question  may  he  raise? 

233.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  desiring 
to  ascertain  the  wishes  of  the  assembly 
concerning  the  immediate  reception  of  a 
report  ? 

234.  Are  the  meetings  of  a  committee  open  to 
other  members  ? 

235.  Is  the  Presiding  Officer  a  member  of 
all  committees? 

236.  In  calling  a  committee  meeting,  should 
every  member  of  the  committee  be  noti- 
fied of  the  meeting? 

237.  Are  there  any  Boards  or  Committees  in 


178  PARLIAMENTABY  PEOOEDURB. 

which  it  is  necessary  for  every  member 
to  be  present,  in  order  to  legally  transact 
business  ? 

238.  Mention  many  advantages  derived  from 
referring  business  to  committees. 

239.  May  a  committee  determine  the  time  and 
place  of  its  own  meetings? 

240.  Are  the  minutes  of  a  committee-meeting 
to  be  used  outside  the  committee? 

241.  What  is  the  degree  of  formality  in  the 
proceedings  of  a  committee? 

242.  In  committee-meeting  are  members  lim- 
ited as  to  time  in  speaking,  or  as  to  the 
number  of  times  they  may  speak  in  de- 
bate? 

243.  Does  a  committee  ever  adjourn? 

244.  When  a  committee  makes  its  report,  who 
is  first  entitled  to  the  floor  in  debate? 

245.  What  motions  may  be  made,  in  Commit- 
tee of  the  Whole? 

246.  Who  presides  over  a  Committee  of  the 
Whole? 

247.  Who  makes  to  the  assembly  the  report  of 
the  Committee  of  the  Whole? 

248.  Is  the  vote  ever  taken  by  yeas  and  nays 
in  Committee  of  the  Whole? 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      179 

249.  Who  acts  as  Secretary  in  Committee  of 
the  Whole? 

250.  If  the  assembly  has  a  rule  limiting  speak- 
ers in  debate  to  —  minutes,  does  this 
rule  also  govern  the  Committee  of  the 
Whole? 

251.  What  are  the  advantages  derived  from 
going  into  Committee  of  the  Whole? 

252.  What  is  the  form  of  the  motion  for  Com- 
mittee of  the  Whole? 

253.  Can    a    committee    reconsider    its    own 
votes  ? 

254.  If   papers   had   been   transferred   to    a 
committee,  could  the  assembly  reconsider 
the  vote  which  occasioned  the  transfer 
of  papers  to  the  committee? 

255.  How  could  the  assembly  at  once  recover 
papers  transferred  to  a  committee? 

256.  If  amendments  are  pending  when  a  mo- 
tion to  refer  to  a  committee  is  agreed 
to,  what  becomes  of  the  amendments? 

257.  If  a  motion  to  recommit  has  been  stated 
and  a  member  then  moves  to  postpone  to 
a  certain  day,  what  should  the  Chair  do? 

258.  What  power  has  a  committee? 

259.  If  the  report  of  a  committee  is  lengthy, 
what  should  be  done  previous  to  its  ac- 
ceptance ? 


180      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

260.  Can  a  report  be  amended  after    it    is 
adopted  ? 

261.  What  subsidiary  motions  may  be  applied 
to  the  report  of  a  committee? 

262.  May  the  motion  for  the  division  of  the 
question  be  applied  to  the  report  of  a 
committee  ? 

263.  When  the  report  of  a  committee  is  pre- 
sented, who  first  reads  it? 

264.  If  the  report  is  considered  seriatim,  who 
reads  the  sections  or  paragraphs  in  their 
order? 

265.  Has  the  report  of  a  committee  the  status 
of  a  main  question? 

206.     Can  the  vote  upon  the  acceptance  of  a 
report  be  reconsidered? 

267.  Is  the  motion  "that  the  report  of  the 
committee    be    accepted"    a    debatable 
question? 

268.  When  the  report  is  considered  seriatim 
should  the  sections  which  are  separately 
considered  be  separately  voted  upon? 

269.  If  there  have  been  amendments  made 
to  the  report  can   it   afterward  be  re- 
jected ? 

270.  After  a  report  has  been  heard  by  the 
assembly,   does  it  belong  to   the  com- 
mittee that  made  it  or  to  the  assembly? 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  181 

271.  May  a  committee,  with  the  consent  of 
the   assembly,   withdraw   a   report  that 
has  not  yet  been  accepted? 

272.  May  a  committee,  without  the  consent 
of  the  assembly,  withdraw  a  report  that 
the  assembly  has  received? 

273.  Mention  all  differences  between  the  re- 
ception and  treatment  of  the  report  of 
a    committee,    and    the    statement    and 
treatment  of  any  other  main  question. 

274.  Are  there  any  subsidiary  or  incidental 
questions  that  can  be  applied  to  any 
main  question  that  cannot  be  applied 
to  the  report  of  the  committee? 

275.  Can  the  reception  of  a  report  be  inter- 
rupted by  privileged  questions  ? 

276.  Can  the   consideration  of  a  report  be 
interrupted  by  privileged  questions? 

277.  When  a  question  has  been  referred  to 
a   standing   committee,   and   that  com- 
mittee has  made  its  report  thereupon, 
has  rhe  standing  committee  further  con- 
trol over  that  question? 

278.  When  does  a  special  committee  cease  to 
exist? 

279.  When  does  a  standing  committee  cease 
to  exist? 

280.  What   right  has   every   committee,  not 


182  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

hampered  by  a  rule  of  the  assembly,  con- 
cerning its  Chairman? 

281.     May  a  committee  offer  a  substitute  for 
any  paper  referred  to  it? 

2S2.     Who   decides   when   a   committee   shall 
report  ? 

283.  May  a  committee  hold  its  meetings  at 
the  same  time  with  the  assembly? 

284.  May  a  committee  make  a  report  which 
is  partial,  and  then  continue  its  work 
until  a  final  report  is  rendered  ? 

285.  Has   the  member  of  a   committee  who 
presents  its  report,  a  right  to  close,  as 
well  as  to  open,  the  debate  on  the  re- 
port? 

286.  When  the  work  of  a  committee  has  been 
that  of  investigation  only,  with  a  view 
to    informing   the   assembly   concerning 
the  subject  of  inquiry,  should  any  mo- 
tion for  the  acceptance  of  its  report  be 
made? 

287.  What  is  the  practical  effect  of  the  ac- 
ceptance of  any  report? 

288.  Are    Boards    of    Managers,    Boards    of 
Trustees,    and    Executive   Boards,    gov- 
erned by  the  same  general  rales  as  are 
committees  ? 

289.  May  the  motion  for  indefinite  postpone- 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  183 

ment  be  applied  to  the  report  of  a  com- 
mittee? 

290.  To  what  may  the  motion  to  commit  or 
to  recommit  be  applied? 

291.  To  what  extent  may  the  motion  to  com- 
mit be  debated  or  amended? 

292.  To  what  may  the  motion  to  postpone 
indefinitely  be  applied? 

293.  May  this  motion  be  in  any  way  amended? 

294.  May  the  main  question  be  debated  after 
the  motion  to  postpone  it  indefinitely 
has  been  introduced? 

295.  What  becomes  of  a  question  that  is  in- 
definitely postponed? 

296.  May  debate  be  closed  on  the  motion  to 
postpone  indefinitely,  without  closing  de- 
bate on  the  main  question? 

297.  When   the   motion   for   indefinite  post- 
ponement is  pending,  may  the  assembly 
consent  to  the  withdrawal  of  the  main 
question? 

298.  Would  the  motion  for  the  division  of  the 
question  be  in  order  while  the  motion 
for  indefinite  postponement  was  pend- 
ing? 

299.  May  a  question  be  laid  on  the  table  while 
the  motion  for  indefinite  postponement 
is  pending? 


184  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

300.  Are  privileged  questions  in  order  when 
a  motion  for  the  indefinite  postponement 
is  pending? 

301.  What  incidental  questions  would  be  in 
order  while   the  motion  for  indefinite 
postponement  was  pending? 

302.  If   an   objectionable  question  has   been 
debated,  what  is  the  best  way  of  remov- 
ing it  from  the  assembly? 

303.  Is  the  motion  for  indefinite  postpone- 
ment ever  made  by  a  friend  of  the 
proposition  ? 

304.  What  has  been  gained  by  the  enemies 
of  a  measure  when  the  motion  for  in- 
definite  postponement   has    been   nega- 
tively decided? 

305.  When  a  proposition  is  but  partially  sat- 
isfactory what  may  be  done  with  it  ? 

306.  How  many  methods  of  amendment  are 
established  ? 

307.  What  should  be  done  with  a  badly  con- 
structed proposition? 

308.  State  the  form  of  an  amendment  to  be 
made  by  striking  out  words. 

309.  State  the  form  of  an  amendment  to  be 
made  by  inserting  words. 

310.  State  the  form  of  an  amendment  to  be 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      185 

made  by  striking  out  words  and  inserting 
other  words. 

311.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  putting  an 
amendment  to  vote? 

312.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  announc- 
ing the  result  of  a  vote  upon  an  amend- 
ment? 

3.13.  In  how  many  ways  can  an  amendment  be 
amended  ? 

314.  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  made 
by  striking  out  in  an  amendment  to  be 
made  by  striking  out. 

315.  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  made 
by  inserting  in  an  amendment  to  be  made 
by  striking  out. 

316.  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  made 
by  striking  out   and    inserting    in    an 
amendment  to  be  made  by  striking  out. 

31.7.  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  made 
by  striking  out  in  a  proposed  amendment 
by  insertion. 

318.  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  made 
by  inserting  in  a  proposed  amendment  by 
insertion. 

319.  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  made 
by  striking  out  and  inserting  in  a  pro- 
posed amendment  by  insertion. 

320.  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  by 


186  PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE. 

striking  out  in  a  proposed  amendment 
by  striking  out  and  inserting. 

321.  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  by  in- 
serting in  a  proposed  amendment  by 
striking  out  and  inserting. 

322  Give  an  example  of  an  amendment  by 
striking  out  and  inserting  in  a  proposed 
amendment  by  striking  out  and  insert- 
ing. 

323.  When  an  amendment  to  an  amendment 
is  before  the  assembly,  what  is  first  voted 
upon? 

324.  How  many  times  may  a  proposition  be 
amended  ? 

325.  How  many  times   may  an   amendment 
be  amended? 

326.  How  many  amendments  may  be  before 
the  assembly  at  one  time? 

327.  May    an    amended    amendment    be    re- 
jected ? 

328.  May  an  amended  motion  be  rejected? 

329.  Is  it  politic  for  those  who  will  vote  neg- 
atively on  the  main  question,  to  debate 
and  vote  upon  offered  amendments? 

330.  May  a  member  vote  against  an  amend- 
ment offered  by  himself? 

331.  If  an  amendment  has  been  stated,  can 
the  Question  of  Consideration  be  raised? 


PARLIAMENTARY   PROCEDURE.  187 

332.  What  subsidiary  motions  may  be  made 
when  an  amendment  is  pending? 

333.  What  privileged  questions  may  be  intro- 
duced when  an  amendment  is  pending? 

334.  What  incidental  questions  may  be  intro- 
duced when  an  amendment  is  pending? 

335.  To  what  may  the  motion  to  amend  be 
applied  ? 

336.  How  can  words  that  have  been  inserted 
be  taken  out? 

337.  How  can  words  that  have  been  taken 
out  be  inserted? 

338.  If  in  a  completed  measure  something  has 
been  inserted  by  an  amendment  to  an 
amendment,  and  afterward  it  is  desired 
to  take  out  what  has  been  inserted,  how 
many  times  would  the  motion  to  recon- 
sider have  to  be  made  and  carried  in 
order  to  take  out  what  was  inserted? 

339.  How   can   a   whole   paragraph  that   re- 
quires   much    amendment,    be    soonest 
amended  ? 

340.  When  a  substitute  is  offered,  by  what 
process  is  it  made  to  supersede  the  orig- 
inal paragraph,  section  or  bill? 

341.  Describe  the  process  of  filling  a  blank 
in  a  proposition. 


188  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

342.  How  is  a  blank  filled  when  an  amount 
is  to  be  determined? 

343.  How  is  a  blank  filled  when  length   of 
time  is  to  be  determined? 

344.  How  is  a  blank  filled  when  a  name  is  to 
be  chosen? 

345.  What  gives  a  question  the  right  to  su- 
persede, for  a  time,  the  business  before 
the  assembly? 

346.  What  are  Privileged  Questions? 

347.  Which    privileged    motion    has    highest 
rank,  and  why  has  it  this  rank? 

348.  When  the  intention  is  that  of  dissolving 
the  assembly  in  what  form  should  the 
motion  be  made? 

349.  When  the  intention  is  to  hold  an  ad- 
journed meeting  in  what  form  should 
the  motion  be  made,  and  at  what  time 
should  it  be  made? 

350.  When  no  time  for  the  next  meeting  has 
been   fixed,   and   the   mover   desires   to 
have  that  time  fixed,  what  is  the  proper 
form  of  the  motion? 

351.  Mention  all  the  times  when  it  is  not  in 
order  to  move  "that  when  we  adjourn 
we  adjourn  to  meet/'  etc. 

352.  Mention  all  the  times  when  it  is  not  in 
order  to  move  to  adjourn. 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      189 

353.  In  what  way  can  the  motion  fixing  the 
time  of  the  next  meeting  be  amended? 

354.  May  the  amendment  to  the  motion  to 
fix  the   time  to  which  to   adjourn,   be 
debated? 

355.  In     introducing     privileged      motions, 
should  the  introducer  get  the  floor? 

356.  If  the  motion  to  adjourn  is  made  when 
no  business  is  before  the  assembly  is  it 
then  a  privileged  motion? 

357.  If  the  rules  fix  the  time  to  adjourn,  or 
if   there   is   no   further   business   to   be 
brought  forward,  what  is  the  best  meth- 
od of  taking  the  vote  on  adjournment  ? 

358.  What  is  the  proper  form  of  the  motion 
to  adjourn? 

359.  What  effect  has  adjournment  on  busi- 
ness before  the  assembly  at  the  time  of 
adjournment  ? 

360.  May  privileged  questions  interrupt  sub- 
sidiary questions? 

361.  Under  what   conditions   may  incidental 
questions  be  applied  to  privileged  ques- 
tions ? 

362.  Do   incidental  questions  ever    yield    to 
privileged  questions? 

363.  Give  an  example  in  which  a  privileged 


190      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

motion  is   superseded  by  an  incidental 
question. 

364.  Give  examples  in  which  incidental  ques- 
tions yield  to  privileged  questions. 

365.  Is  a  motion  to  take  a  recess  privileged 
if  the  time  of  the  recess  has  not  been 
fixed? 

366.  May  a  motion  for  a  recess  be  introduced 
under  a  question  of  privilege? 

367.  What  is  meant  by  a  question  of  privi- 
lege? 

368.  How   is   a   question   of  privilege  intro- 
duced? 

369.  If  a  speaker  yields  the  floor  to  a  ques- 
tion of  privilege,  has  he  the  right  to  re- 
sume his   speech  when  the  question  of 
privilege  is  disposed  of? 

370.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  render- 
ing a  decision  concerning  a  question  of 
privilege  ? 

371.  In    what    way    may    the    member    who 
wishes  to  introduce  a  question  of  privi- 
lege seek  redress  from  what  he  believes 
to  be  an  unjust  decision  of  the  Chair  ? 

372.  When  a  question  has  been  introduced  as 
one  of  privilege  what  is  done  with  it  ? 

373.  If  the  Chair  says  "The  question  is  one 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      191 

of  privilege"  what  does  the  Chair  say 
next? 

874.  If  the  Chair  says  "The  question  is  not 
one  of  privilege"  and  no  appeal  is  taken, 
what  is  next  done? 

375.  What  becomes  of  the  main  question  if  a 
question  of  privilege  occupies  all  the  time 
until  adjournment? 

376.  What  is  an  incidental  question? 

377.  Can  any  action  be  taken  on  any  question 
that  was  pending  when    an    incidental 
question  was  entertained  before  the  inci- 
dental question  is  itself  decided  ? 

378.  If  the  incidental  question  is  immediately 
applicable,  may  it  precede  a  subsidiary 
question  ? 

379.  Mention  incidental  questions  that  arise 
out  of  and  have  precedence   over   sub- 
sidiary questions. 

380.  Give  an  example  in  which  a  question  of 
order  supersedes  the  question  of  consid- 
eration. 

381.  Give  an  example  in  which  an  amendment 
yields  to  the  reading  of  a  paper. 

382.  Give  an  example  in  which  the  motion 
to  lay  on  the  table  yields  to  the  motion 
to  suspend  a  rule. 

383.  Give  an  example  in  which  an  amendment 


192      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

yields  to  a  request  to  withdraw  the  mo- 
tion. 

384.  Can  the  motion  for  the  division  of  the 
question  be  applied  to  an  amendment  ? 

385.  May   incidental   questions   arise   out   of 
privileged  questions? 

386.  Is  any  incidental  question  debatable? 

387.  Which  incidental  question  may  interrupt 
a  speaker? 

388.  Which  incidental   question  has   a  higher 
rank  than  any  other  ? 

389.  Is  there  any  time  when  the  question  of 
order  cannot  be  raised  ? 

390.  What   does   a   member   mean   to   declare 
when  he  says  "I  rise  to  a  point  of  order?" 

391.  What  should  the  Chair  say  when  a  mem- 
ber rises  to  a  point  of  order  ? 

392.  Who  first  decides  whether  Parliamentary 
Law  has  been  departed  from  ? 

393.  Why  is  it  necessary  for  every  deliberative 
body  to  adopt  a  Parliamentary  standard? 

394.  What  may  the  Chair  do  if  he  desires  ad- 
vice concerning  a  point  of  order  ? 

395.  When  must  a  point  of  order  be  raised,  if 
raised  at  all? 

396.  What  may  any  member  do  if  dissatisfied 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      193 

with  the  decision  of  the  Chair  on  a  point 
of  order? 

397.  When  a  member  uses  unparliamentary  lan- 
guage in  debate,  what  should  be  done? 

398.  May  the  Chair  call  a  member  to  order? 

399.  When  a  member  is  called  to  order  what 
should  he  first  do? 

400.  State  the  method  of  proceeding  against  a 
refractory  member  who  has  been  called  to 
order  for  using  unparliamentary  language. 

401.  Describe  the  process  of  calling  for  the  or- 
der or  orders  of  the  day. 

402.  Who  makes  the  orders  of  the  day? 

403.  By  what  method  are  orders  of  the  day 
made  ? 

404.  What  is  a  special  order  of  the  day? 

405.  May  permission  to  read  papers  be  given 
for  a  future  time? 

406.  Is  a  request  for  permission  to  read  a  paper 
in  debate  an  incidental  question  ? 

407.  Who  may  ask  the  consent  of  the  assembly 
for  the  withdrawal  of  a  motion? 

408.  At  what  moment  does   ownership  of  a 
motion  pass  from  the  mover  to  the  as- 
sembly ? 

409.  State  the  form  of  a  request  for  with- 
drawal of  the  motion. 


194      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

410.  How  does  the  Chair  announce  the  vote 
on  the  request  for  withdrawal  of  the  mo- 
tion? 

411.  May  the  vote  he  reconsidered  after  the 
mover  has  withdrawn  the  motion  ? 

412.  May   a   question   of   privilege   be   with- 
drawn? 

413.  Why  cannot  a  motion    to    suspend    the 
rules  be  reconsidered? 

414.  May  the  Constitution  or  the  By-laws  be 
suspended  ? 

415.  Who  makes  the  Special  Eules  of  an  as- 
sembly ? 

416.  Give  an  example  in  which  the  vote  of  the 
Chair  prevents  the  suspension  of  a  rule. 

417.  Gixe  examples  of  rules  that  might  re- 
quire sudden  suspension. 

418.  May  a  rule  be  suspended  more  than  once 
for  the  same  purpose  at  the  same  meet- 
ing? 

419.  What  is  the  form  of  the  motion  for  the 
suspension  of  a  rule? 

420.  To  what  is  the  motion  for  the  division  of 
the  question  applicable  ? 

421.  In   the    division   of    a   question   may    a 
clause  be  separately  considered? 

422.  If  the  parts  of  a  proposition  are  inter- 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      195 

dependent   can   the  proposition   be    di- 
vided ? 

423.  Into  how  many  parts  may  a  proposition 
be  divided? 

424.  When  a  proposition  is  divided,  how  are 
its  part?  treated,  and  in  which  order  are 
they  taken  up? 

425.  In  what  way  can  the  motion  to  divide 
the  question  be  amended? 

426.  Give  an  example  of  a  divisible  propo- 
sition. 

427.  If  a  part  of  the  divided  proposition  has 
been  acted  upon,  may  the  vote  on  the 
motion  to  divide  the  proposition  then  be 
reconsidered  ? 

428.  May  a  proposition  be  divided  after  it  has 
been  debated  and  amended? 

429.  Give  examples  of  motions  as  to  method 
of  consideration. 

430.  Give   examples   of   amendments   offered 
upon  motions  as  to  method  of  considera- 
tion? 

431.  If  a  certain  method  of  consideration  has 
been  decided  upon,  and  that  method  has 
been  for  a  time  pursued,  may  the  method 
then  be  changed  bv  reconsideration  of 
the  vote? 


196  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

432.  How  many  of  the  incidental  questions 
require  a  seconder? 

433.  Describe  the  informal  consideration  of  a 
question. 

434.  Describe   the   method   of   procedure   in 
Committee  of  the  Whole. 

435.  Compare  these  two  methods  of  considera- 
tion and  note  the  points  of  similarity  and 
of  difference. 

436.  Give  the  form  of  a  motion  to  extend  the 
limit  of  debate. 

437.  Give  the  form  of  a  motion  to  limit  de- 
bate. 

438.  When  an  appeal  is  made  from  the  deci- 
sion of  the  Chair,  what  is  said  by  the 
appealing  member? 

439.  To  whom  is  the  appeal  addressed? 

440.  Why  should  an  appeal  be  seconded? 

441.  When  is  an  appeal  debatable? 

442.  Under  what  circumstances  is  an  appeal 
undebatable  ? 

443.  When  an  appeal  is  debatable  who  first 
has   the   floor,   and   who   next   has   the 
floor? 

444.  May  all  members  debate  on  an  appeal? 

445.  Can  the  debate  on  an  appeal  be  closed 
by  ordering  the  Previous  Question? 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      197 

446.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  taking  the 
vote  on  an  appeal? 

447.  What  does  the  Chair  say  when  announc- 
ing the  result  of  a  vote  on  an  appeal? 

448.  If  the  vote  on  an  appeal  is  a  tie,  is  the 
judgment  of  the  Chair  sustained? 

449.  On  what  questions  may  an  appeal  from 
the  ruling  of  the  Chair  be  made? 

450.  May  an  appeal  be  laid  on  the  table  ? 

451.  May  more  than  one  appeal  be  considered 
at  one  time? 

452.  May   privileged   questions   interrupt   an 
appeal  ? 

453.  What  subsidiary  questions  may  be  apr 
plied  to  an  appeal? 

454.  What  incidental  questions  may  arise  dur- 
ing an  appeal? 

455.  During  what  time  may  a  vote  be  recon- 

sidered ? 

456.  Who  may  move  to  reconsider? 

457.  When  is  the  motion  to   reconsider   de- 

batable and  when  is  it  undebatable  ? 

458.  If  any  action  that  cannot   be  reversed 

has  followed  as  a  consequence  of  a  vote, 
can  that  vote  be  reconsidered? 

459.  Tell  what  motions  cannot  be  reconsid- 


198      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

ered,  and  why  they  cannot  be  recon- 
sidered. 

460.  What  is  the  rank  of  the  motion  to  re- 

consider? 

461.  If  the  motion  to  reconsider     is     made 

when  other  business  is  pending,  what  is 
done  with  the  motion? 

462.  Is  the  motion  to  reconsider  a  privileged 

motion  ? 

463  When  the  motion  to  reconsider  is  ap- 
plied to  a  subsidiary  motion,  which  is 
first  decided,  the  motion  to  reconsider, 
or  the  main  question? 

464.  May  the  motion  to  reconsider  be  made 

when  a  member  has  the  floor? 

465.  May  the  motion  to  reconsider  be  made 

when  a  vote  is  being  taken  upon  the 
motion  to  adjourn? 

466.  If  the  motion  to  reconsider  is  carried, 

what  is  the  question  then  before  the 
assembly  ? 

467.  If   the   Previous   Question  was   ordered 

before  the  vote  was  taken  on  the  main 
question,  may  the  main  question  be 
debated  after  the  vote  thereupon  is  re- 
considered ? 

468.  How  many  times  may  a  vote  be  recon- 
sidered ? 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      199 

469.  To  what  extent  may  the  main  question 
be  debated  under  the  motion  to  recon- 
sider the  vote  upon  it  ? 

470.  May  the  Previous  Question  be  applied  to 
the  motion  to  reconsider? 

471.  Whrn  the  Previous  Question  is  ordered 
upon  the  motion  to  reconsider,  does  it 
close  debate  upon  the  question  to  be  re- 
considered? 

472.  Describe  the  process  of  reconsideration 
of  the  Question  of  Consideration. 

473.  Describe  the  process  of  reconsideration 
of  the  motion  to  close  debate. 

474.  What  vote  is  required  to  carry  the  mo- 
tion to  reconsider? 

475.  Describe  the  process   of  reconsideration 
of  the  motion  to  postpone  indefinitely. 

476.  Describe  the  process  of  reconsideration 
of  a  negative  vote  on  the  motion  to  lay 
on  the  table. 

477.  Describe  the  process  of  reconsideration 
of  the  vote  upon  a  main  question. 

478.  Describe  the  process  of  reconsidering  an 
amendment  after  the  main  question  has 
been  decided. 

479.  Describe  the  process  of  reconsidering  an 
amendment  to  an  amendment,  after  the 
main  question  has  been  decided. 


200      PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE. 

480.  After  a  motion  for  the  reconsideration 
of  a  main  question  has  been  made,  and 
before   the   question   of   reconsideration 
has  been  acted  upon,  what  is  the  status 
of  the  main  question? 

481.  Compare  the  two  motions,  to  reconsider 
and  to  rescind,  and  state  the  points  of 
difference  between  them. 

482.  How  long  after  the  decision  of  a  ques- 
tion may  the  action  upon  that  question 
be  annulled? 

483.  Has  the  motion  to  rescind  the  status  of 
a  main  question? 

484.  Should  it  include  provision  for  meeting 
obligations  incurred  by  the  original  mo- 
tion? 

485.  Would  it  be  well  to  exclude  from  the 
list  of  permissible  motions,  the  motion  to 
reconsider  ? 

486.  What  are  the  duties  of  Chairman? 

487.  What  duty  has  the  Vice-President? 

488.  What  duties  has  the  Treasurer. 

489.  What  duties  has  the  Clerk? 

490.  What  duty  has  an  Auditor? 

491.  What  are  Tellers? 


PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE.      201 

•492.  What  duties  have  members? 

493.  Who  announces  all  votes? 

v494.  Who  reads  the  minutes? 

495.  What  is  Electioneering? 

49G.  What  is  an  Informal  Ballot? 

497.  What  is  a  Formal  Ballot? 

i;498.  What  constitutes  a  Quorum? 

499.  What  is  a  Parliamentary  Inquiry? 

500.  Who  answers  such  inquiries? 


INDEX. 

Page. 

Acceptance  of  reports 61,  111 

"   amendments    72 

Acclamation,  vote  by 20 

Adjourn,   motion  to 81 

effect  on  unfinished  business 82 

exceptions  to  rule 82 

fix  the  time  to  which  to 80 

form  of  motion' 81 

in  committee 56 

rank  of  motion 11 

renewal  of  motion  to 84 

Adopt,  accept,  agree  to 61,  122 

Amendment 9,  10,  11,  65,  70 

application  of  motion  for 10,  71 

by  filling  blanks 74 

by  inserting  66,  70 

by  striking  out 66 

by  striking  out  and  inserting 66,  68 

by  substitution  73 

form  of  motion  for 66,  72 

of  motion'  to  commit 51 

of  motion  for  division  of  question 99 

of  motion  for  method  of  consideration . . .  100 

of  motion  to  postpone , 49 

of  time  to  which  to  adjourn 81 

rank  of  motion  for 11,  71 

Amendment  of  an  amendment 67,    69 

Amendment  of  the  minutes 38,  128 


204  INDEX. 

Page. 

Appeal  from  ruling  of  the  Chair 101 

on  point  of  order 91 

on  questions  of  privilege 88 

Application  of  motions 10 

Articles  in  a  Constitution 131 

Assembly,  how  organized 129 

its  right  to  punish  members 93 

Ballots  and  balloting 23 

blank  24 

blanket  125 

formal  124 

informal  123 

not  to  reconsider  10,  25 

Blanks,  how  filled  74 

Business,  how  introduced 18,  17 

order  of 134 

priority  of 49 

unfinished 83 

By-Laws  130 

cannot  be  suspended 96 

Call  to  order 90 

Call  for  orders  of  the  day 47,  93 

Call  the  roll 22 

Censure    93 

Chairman   14 

his  right  to  vote 29 

of  a  committee  50 

of  Committee  of  the  Whole 53 

temporary    129 

Classification  of  motions 9 

Clerk,  or  recording  officer 117 


IKDEX.  205 

Page. 

Closing  debate   41 

Commit,  or  recommit 9,  10,  49 

Committee   49 

action  of 60 

chairman  of 50 

composition'  of 56 

discharge   of 62 

formation  of  54 

kinds  of   51 

meetings  of  56 

nominating   121 

.  object  of 49 

power  of 58 

procedure  in 59 

quorum   in 114 

report  from 60 

rising  of 56 

secretary  of 58 

sub-committees    56 

work  of 58 

Committee  of  the  Whole. .   52 

quorum  in 114 

Consent,  general  or  unanimous 20 

Consideration,  question1  of 33 

application    of 10 

rank  of  11 

Consideration,  motion  as  to  method  of 99 

amendment  of  motion  as  to 100 

rank  of  motion 89 

objection  to  present 48 

seriatim    61 

Consider  informally   100 


206  INDEX. 

Page. 

Constitution    130 

amendment  of     96 

cannot  be  suspended 96 

necessary  articles  in 131 

Debate    8,  17 

cessation  of  41 

closing   of 42 

decorum  in 18 

extend  the  limits  of 99 

in  Committee  of  the  Whole 53 

limit    100 

main  question  open  to 9,  17 

object  of 27 

speak  but  once  in 18 

relevancy   in 18 

right  of  mover  in 44 

Debate  on  subsidiary  motions 9,  63 

Declining  office   125 

Decorum  92 

Division  of  a  question' 97 

Division  of  the  house 21 

Disorder   116 

Duties  of  presiding  officer 115 

of  recording  officer 117 

of  treasurer 118 

of  other  officers 119 

of  members  119 

Election  of  officers       124 

Electioneering    125 

Exercises    135 

Explanation  of  signs 8 

Expulsion  of  members 93 


INDEX.  207 

Page. 

Expunge  from  minutes , .  129 

Extend  limits  of  debate 97 

Filling  of  blanks  74 

Fix  the  time  to  which  to  adjourn 9,  11,    80 

Floor,  how  to  obtain  the 14,     15 

yielding  the  109 

General  consent 20,    88 

House  of  Representatives 

14,  16,  83,  93,  104,  113,  115 

Incidental  questions    9,    89 

rank  of  11 

undebatable  89 

Indefinite  postponement  62 

application  of  motion  for 10 

why  debatable    63 

Informal  consideration 100 

Introduction  of  motions  13,     15 

Inquiries,  parliamentary   110 

in  debate   Ill 

Installation  in  office   126 

Journal    126 

Lay  on  the  table 9,  10,  11,    36 

Leave  to  continue  speaking 92 

Main  question    9,  10,  11,     13 

Majority  vote   19 

Meetings    30,  112 


208  INDEX. 

Page. 

Members,  rights  and  duties  of 119 

Membership    , 131 

Method  of  consideration 99 

Minority  report   59 

Minutes    126,  128 

expunge  from   129 

Motions 9,   17,  27 

as  to  method  of  consideration 9,  99 

incidental    9,  89 

privileged  9,  79 

principal    9,  13 

subsidiary   9,  10,  31,  76 

to  take  up  a  question  out  of  its  proper 

order 48 

Mover,  closes  debate  18,    44 

withdraws    motion    95 

Name  of  society  .    131 

Nomination    120 

by  committee 121 

by  informal  ballot 122 

from  tire  floor 120 

in  temporary  organization 129 

of  committees    55 

of  officers   120 

Nominees  vote  125 

Numbering    129 

Objection  to  consideration  33 

to  present  consideration 48 

Obtaining  the  floor 8,     14 


INDEX.  209 

Page. 

Officers  132 

duties  of  115 

election  of  124 

necessary  130 

nomination  of 120 

temporary  130 

Order  of  business 134 

Order,  point  of 90 

calling  to  92 

questions  of  90 

special  49 

Order  of  the  day 47,  134 

call  for  47,  92 

Organization  of  a  society 129 

temporary  130 

permanent  130 

Parliamentary,  use  of  word 5 

inquiries  110 

Plurality  19 

Postpone  to  a  certain  time .  .9,  10,  11,  45 

application  of  motion 10 

amendment  of  time  46 

effect  of  motion  46 

rank  of  motion  11,  45 

Postpone  indefinitely  9,  10,  11,  62 

application  of  motion 10 

debate  on  motion  to 64 

effect  of  motion  62 

Preamble    61 

Presiding  officer   116 

duties  of 115 

power  of  assembly  over  116 

qualifications  of 115 


210  INDEX. 

Pag*. 

Previous  Question 9,  10,  11,  41,  10£ 

application1  of 10,  41,  10? 

effect  of 4;  I 

form  of  putting 4*  1 

rank  of 11,    76 

Precedence  or  rank  of  motions 8,  11,    76 

Principal  motion  or  main  question 8,  11,    13 

Priority  of  business 49,  101 

Privileged  motions  9,  78 

introduction  of  78 

rank  of  11 

Privileged  questions  9,  78 

rank  of  11 

Proxy    125 

Questions  and  motions 13 

Question  of  consideration 33 

reconsideration  of  35 

Questions  of  order 90 

advice  on  91 

rank  of 89 

Questions  of  privilege 9,  79,    94 

introduction  of 88 

rank  of   11,  103 

disposal  of 101 

Quiz   165 

Quorum    112 

in  committee 114 

Rank  of  motions 9,  11,  77 

of  incidental  motions  89 

of  principal  motion 11 

of  privileged  questions  11,  78 

of  subsidiary  motions , ....  31,  76 


INDEX. 

Page. 
Reading  of  papers 94 

Recapitulation  of  rank 76 

Receiving  reports  59,  111 

Recording  officer  117,  126 

Reference  tables  9,  10,    11 

Report ." Ill 

after  informal  consideration 100 

of  committees 59 

of  Committee  of  the  Whole 53 

of  minority 59 

of  treasurer    118 

Renewal  of  motions 40,  84 

Recommit 9,  31,  49 

Recess  85 

rank  of  motion  for 11 

Reconsider 9,  11,  104 

Reconsideration 10,  104 

Request  for  information  110 

Rescind  109 

Rights  of  members 119 

Rise,  in  committee 56 

Seconder  IB 

Seconding    16 

Secretary   117 

corresponding  118 

of  committee 58 

recording 117 

temporary    128 


212  INDEX. 

Page. 

Senate    42,  115 

Session    30 

Special  order   49 

Special  rules 133 

Stating  a  question 16 

Sub-committees    56 

Subsidiary  motions  9,  10,    31 

application  of 10,    31 

effect  of  32 

list  of   9,  31,    76 

rank  of   11,    76 

Substitution    73 

Substitute  bill  74 

Suspension  of  rules  96,  139 

Tables,  motions  9 

applications  10 

rank 11 

recapitulation   76 

Take  from  the  table 39 

Take  up  out  of  order 48 

Take  up  order  of  the  day 47 

Tellers   25,  124 

Temporary  organization  130 

Treasurer    118 

Two-thirds  vote  19 

Unanimous  consent  19,    20 

Undebatable  motions 8,  9,  64,  110 

Vice-President  .  117 


INDEX.  £13 

Page. 

Votes  and  voting 20,  25,  125 

by  acclamation 20 

by  ballot  23,  124 

by  gen'eral  consent 20 

by  proxy 125 

by  raising  of  hands 21 

by  standing  20 

by  yeas  and  nays 22 

casting  vote   28 

changing  a  vote 26 

duty  of  members  in 26 

methods  of  voting 20 

majority 19 

plurality 19 

putting  to  vote 27 

two-thirds    19,  31 

tie  vote   19,  28 

unanimous  vote 19 

vote  of  thanks  26 

when  the  Chair  votes 28 

Withdrawal  of  a  motion 95 

Yeas  and  nays 22 

Yielding  the  floor 109 


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